DENR loses P521M in uncollected forest land fees, COA warns

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources left approximately P521.26 million in uncollected fees on the table, according to findings released in the Commission on Audit's 2025 annual audit report. The unrealized revenue stemmed from charges related to the use of forest lands, foreshore areas, and protected zones across the country.

The COA identified systemic weaknesses in DENR's collection process, pointing to insufficient collection strategies and inadequate enforcement and monitoring mechanisms as primary culprits. The audit findings underscore persistent challenges in the department's ability to secure revenues from natural resource utilization fees that are meant to support forest and environmental conservation efforts.

The substantial revenue gap raises questions about the department's capacity to fund critical environmental programs and protection initiatives. Experts note that uncollected fees represent foregone resources that could have been directed toward reforestation, biodiversity protection, and sustainable resource management programs nationwide.

The COA's audit report serves as a formal alert to DENR leadership to strengthen its revenue collection operations. Officials are expected to develop more robust collection strategies, improve inter-agency coordination, and enhance monitoring systems to ensure fees owed by forest concessionaires and other land users are properly assessed and collected going forward.