Climate change: REDD+ policy hurdles

MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte - The success story of the people organization (PO) called Youth Innovators for Social and Environmental Development Association (YISEDA) in Southern Leyte can be replicated in other upland communities of the Philippines that are facing rapid forest depletion, according to Rogelio Abalus, one of the technical staff assisting the PO. However, he lamented that some government policies in forest management have become an added burden to local groups instead of making things easier for the farmers. These include stringent policies in securing resource use permits and environmental compliance certificates, and the requirement for a 100-percent inventory of trees in the proposed CBFM area. "What if the (farmers) don't have the money, don't have the capability and the skills to do the inventory, hindi kaya iyan," Abalus said. Fortunately for YISEDA, the members manage to get by with GIZ's help. But Abalus is concerned about groups that are left to fend for themselves. "Under normal conditions, without support from the outside, hindi kaya iyon. So what kind of a policy is that? Mali iyon," he insisted. Abalus said his team is planning to bring up the matter with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), which is in charge of forest policy and protection in the country. For instance, Abalus said they are recommending the lowering of the 100-percent inventory requirement. "Baka pwede namang 10 percent lang ang inventory then we can just make the projections. Makukuha pa rin naman kahit ito lang ang kunin mo diyan at hindi iyong bawat isa," he said. "Kasi kung ikaw ang (local organization) tapos pagkuha mo pa lang ng cutting permit, two years na. Tapos ECC, two years, eh surrender na sila. Bakit pa ko magtatanim eh sa pagkuha pa lang ng permit ang hirap na at problema na," he said. At the same time, the budget constraints of local government units and the local DENR office aggravates the problem further, he added. Ricardo Tomo, provincial director of the Department of Interior and Local Government in Southern Leyte, defends the government and says they are not necessarily being too strict on local groups. Rather, the DENR just wants to ensure that forest harvesting does not cancel out reforestation projects in the area. "Maraming grupong nagbibigay at nagi-introduce ng development projects dito, kaya nakakahiya din sa kanilang tumutulong sa amin kung nagpapaspas din kami magbigay ng permit for legal cutting. Kaya may limit ka dapat," he said. Elmer Abad, the municipal environmental and natural resources officer in Salibo, shared Abalus' observation. Salibo town, lying northeast of Maasin City, has other groups that have CBFM agreements but Abad agreed that the environment sector is really "not a priority" of the government until now. The local government is planning to capitalize on its rich and diverse forest resources to bring in tourists to the small coastal town. Abad urged the government to pour in more funds to CBFM projects, saying these would not only benefit upland dwellers but everyone in the province. "Kasi sa huli, kung ano ang epekto sa taas ng bundok, apektado din ang mga nasa baba, kahit doon na nasa coastal areas," Abad stressed. - YA, GMA News