SAMAGMANALIYA, a people’s organization (PO) based in Taytay town in Palawan, initiated a dialogue and pushed its five-year-old application for the Community-Based Forest Management (CBFM) and for the issuance of a CBFM Agreement (CBFMA).
The organization has been pursuing this agreement to secure rights over forest lands, specifically mangrove areas, but has faced delays in the application process.
Rodel Moreno Dorado, one of the local residents said that the Apostolic Vicariate of Taytay led by Bishop Emeritus Edgardo Juanich, and the CBFM national president, Nida Collado, have expressed support to the application of SAMANAGMANALIYA.
Also present were representatives from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD), Local Government Unit (LGU) of Taytay, Barangay Local Government of Unit of Barangay Poblacion, among others.
“Tinalakay ang pagkaantala ng aplikasyon na halos limang taon nang nakabinbin, partikular sa bahagi ng PCSD. Isa sa mga isyung binigyang-diin ng SAMAGMANALIYA ay ang pagtapyas ng PCSD sa mapa ng mga bakawan, na iginiit ng PCSD bilang bahagi ng core zone o ‘no touch zone’. Sa kabila ng mainit na palitan ng pananaw, nagkasundo ang mga panig na muling magda-dialogo at magsusumite ng panibagong liham ang SAMAGMANALIYA sa mga ahensiya ng gobyerno upang igiit ang pag-apruba sa kanilang aplikasyon,” Dorado said.
Community-Based Forest Management (CBFM) is the country’s national strategy to achieve sustainable forestry, social justice, and poverty alleviation in upland communities. Established by Executive Order No. 263 in 1995, it empowers local communities to manage, protect, and utilize forest resources through 25-year, renewable agreements that shall be known as CBFM Agreement.
The CBFM aims to reduce reforestation, rehabilitate degraded forestlands, and improve the social and economic conditions of upland residents.
