About 70 years ago the Philippines was almost totally            
covered with forest resources distributed throughout the
Archipelago.     These     resources     provided     income,    
employment,  food, medicine, building materials, and water
as  well as healthy environment. Today, of the 30 million
hectares that constitute the Philippines, there are only 1.2
million   hectares   of   virgin   forest   (according   to   the  
Department of Environment and Natural Resources.)

The country’s  remaining  classified  forest  lands  are  placed  at 
14.96 million hectares, of which 5.72 million hectares are
already categorized as badly eroded. The remaining 9.24
million  hectares  are  unfortunately  in  various  stages  of 
degradation. SALT-1 is a program to revert this tragic figure.

http://www.sommerhaven.org/prac_app/sus_ag/t_pac_salt1.pdf