Demonstrating BD-Friendly Livelihood Enterprise in Sta. Teresita LGU,

Under the Biodiversity Partnerships One case study that bears Project (BPP) implemented by the promising potential in terms of creating a model for a biodiver- DENR-Biodiversity Management sity-friendly business is the Bureau, with support from the Global development of the community- Environment Facility (GEF) through the based start-up handicraft United Nations Development Prog- enterprise in the municipality of ramme (UNDP), the piloting of the Sta. Teresita in Cagayan province. Sta. Teresita is situated within the biodiversity-friendly enterprise was Northeastern Cagayan Key undertaken in selected pilot areas from Biodiversity Area (NECKBA), the project’s eight demonstration areas. which lies in the northeastern tip of the Sierra Madre mountain This initiative is anchored on the project aim range covering six (6) municipali- of developing policies and programs that would ties in the province of Cagayan, provide incentives to invest in biodiversity namely: , , Lal-lo, businesses, including financing schemes to Sta. Teresita, , and discourage destructive practices by forest- Gonzaga. It covers the Magapit dependent communities, which will be Protected Landscape, Baua developed and mainstreamed to the relevant Watershed Forest Reserve, agencies and will ensure that communities Wangag Watershed Forest surrounding the Protected Areas/Key Reserve, and three Important Bird Biodiversity Areas (PAs/KBAs) will see the Areas, namely the Buguey value, in economic terms, of the conservation Wetlands, Mt. Cagua, and Mt. efforts. Cetaceo. NECKBA is also considered an important Seeing the potential for the new raw site harboring various endemic species of flora material, the project linked the community and fauna that are now considered globally to a local company which has committed threatened such as the Philippine eagle and support as consolidator for bakong-based the cloud rat. Mt Cagua Complex alone has materials and products for export. To 22 globally threatened and near-threatened showcase the biodiversity-friendly birds, mammals, amphibians, and reptiles. enterprises from the project, BPP has been About 171,362 has. of NECKBA is considered holding a business and investments forum secondary and old growth forest, while that will gather private and business sectors. 3,081 has. is mossy forest. Commercially It is expected that this would further stir important trees include white lauan, narra, interest and provide more exposure and malaikmo, tanguile, narek, and molave. A new opportunity to potential investors on species of Rafflessia, Rafflesia leonardii, was bakong. BPP is also working on exploring recently found in Bolos Point. possible windows for financing and investments for bakong. Through the efforts of the project through the local DENR partner, a site So far, piloting this pioneering model assessment on existing and potential and strategy for local and inclusive livelihood was conducted in NECKBA, which economic development and biodiversity paved the way for the identification of a local conservation entails pooling of resources water-growing plant later identified as bakong and strategic planning and partnerships. (Hanguana malayana) that thrives in Sta. Through this ongoing partnership among Teresita’s Bangalao Lake and is a Philippine the community, the LGU, and national native. The project then forged a partnership government agencies (NGAs) in the sites, agreement with the Design Center of the some emerging lessons could be surmised: (DCP) of the DTI to provide partnerships and convergence of NGAs and technical assistance in the capacity-building the academe could facilitate the institutio- component of the initiative. nalization of policies and incentives; the LGUs’ support and ownership and the Locals previously thought that bakong private sectors’ participation are crucial had no commercial value, while the local and instrumental in the success and government unit (LGU) of Sta. Teresita sustainability of the biodiversity-friendly initially saw only the ecotourism potential of business; communities appreciate biodiver- Bangalao Lake. The strategic partnership sity better through its economic values; and with DCP proved instrumental in the awareness/promotion of biodiversity materials assessment and manipulation of concepts remains a key factor in ensuring bakong after they found that it had potential an informed and committed community on as a new raw material for handicrafts biodiversity conservation. making, which would offer a promising livelihood potential for the local community. As a demonstration initiative, this effort is a work in progress. Keeping the This development was received well by balance and ensuring the sustainability of the LGU, which provided the necessary this undertaking, the BPP has embarked on support in coordinating and providing a study in partnership with the academe to counterpart funds and in-kind assistance in evaluate the impact of the harvest and use the conduct of skills development and of bakong on the ecology and biodiversity entrepreneurial trainings to the community of the lake. The result of the study is expect- from February to May 2014 with the ed to serve as basis and consideration for assistance of DCP and the DTI provincial the LGU’s enactment of a local ordinance office. A significant feat in the piloting and the crafting of local plans and programs process was the organization of the local that would ensure the development as well residents into a formal and legitimate people’s as the conservation of bakong and the lake organization called Laguna de Cagayan in aid of promoting the community-based Handicrafts Association, with the LGU at its and biodiversity-friendly livelihood enter- helm. prise.