Seeing the eagle for the forests vrag i i a hleg fr el t tasoe esl i the in herself transpose Haribon to that environments Belle forest Philippine for challenge a is it overhang, TransitundertheMetrodirectlycanopy and of a sizes, Rail (MRT) and shapes all of buildings concrete of diversity a wires, electric of A Executive Foundation Director, HARIBON PLANTILLA ANABELLE they arethey ‘maganda’ (beautiful).” thenforests, the are these if already,and forestswere those me, For girl scout, in camping sites in nearby and provinces. a as activitiescamping my of part as visited we those were of aware the nearest mountain from Metro Manila. And the only forests I was educator. Th onlye mountain Iwas knew Mountwhich is Makiling, “I didn’t know much about forests. Iwas notaforester, nor was Ian kids school. school from elementary to high grades for farming, slash-and-burn about also and modules conservation thenwas which towrite looking someone for forest atHARIBON, apply to her asked teacherformer a college, fromUpongraduation times,” recalls. Belle those during yet Google no was there research, did and library to the went I eagle. the about up reading started I and bird beautiful endangered due to hunting and loss of habitat. I infell love with the the in Philippinea newspaper.eagle It’s of our national photo bird and it was the saw I when 1987, in forests of fiaware “I became rst and advocates for protection and restoration. zone of the City urban jungle. Surrounded by vines by Surrounded jungle. urban City Quezon the of zonethe core in is offi Plantilla’s environment “Belle” ce nabelle 1 actively campaigns campaigns actively river stones and her mother used to tell her not to catch them, as as them, catch to not her tell the to used mother her on and stones river perched dragonflies Colored cascaded. rivers mountain cold cool, wherethe and resort auntManila),whereherownsa of south province (a Laguna , in spent weresummers Her afterwards. themuncleshersmoke,for to choke themthat onandwould they to these giving and up these rolling and drying friends, her with leaves papaya the picking recalls she Laughingly, season. fruiting inwere they when guavas and mangoes the for remembersaiming and fruit house neighbor’s their withand house their around growing childhood, trees “fruitful” a spending recalls She Manila. Belle was born and upgrew in San Juan, a suburban town in Metro ofwhatthe ishappening. reality whatis makes forestfora at their backyard so andreflects of much this but small, is area The narra. and trees fruit some with planted lot behind their building into a community of collage trees that she convert to corner been her parkingrationalizing a of the has effort what urban-based people struggle with in relating to forests. Part of explain to effort her in lost not is ironyshadow,” the a smiles, she MRTcastingCity,the with Quezon Cubao, Aurorain Boulevard along is office workOur haven’tforests. planted I I but do. HARIBON, to for want I what is That forests. plant to want I trees. plant to want “I life, her in stage this at that us with shares Belle that bird.” for asingle this much area isneeded connection,areaeagle’sthesaw the fromforest thenI perspective, thesaw “I forest.the to her whatlinks is image the as work, her in The ofimage thepersists Philippine eagle strongly in hermind and root the that systems the water.” absorbed was knew I all before about whereas learned services, I ecological and go to place the obviously was “It Forestry. of College UPLB the at economics, programs, and its approaches forestry,conservation in course crash a undertook then Belle have activities that help in promoting the values of forests and theforests and haveof activitiespromoting thatvaluesin thehelp and they HARIBON of members are children who also There are that Ofcourse comesin. now Manila Bay issomuch different.” strong as the park was near Manila Bay and we could get the breeze textilestoreMy inDivisoria. fatherwanted maketoalso our lungs a inworked mother,ourwho meeting beforeaway time the while and Luneta in somewhere down settle and drinks, chocolate and chicken fried home-cooked along bringing Boulevard, Roxas to the summer when there were no classes. “We’d travel from San Juan her and her two siblings to Luneta Park in Manila for picnics during backShe reflected on when her her childhood father toused bring the malls,” says. Belle wouldn’tto kidsI parent,mybring a environment.wasour of I If their experience naturalnessthe enjoy environment,tonatural to and a in childhood parents, their of childhood the experience children see to want today.I me asked you until granted, for this what about nothing like trees climbingandaremyself trees.look longer I no fruit took know children Many aspect. experiential the is today missing is What forests. and rivers clean of memories the environment, we encounter a lot of people who share childhood “In the course of my work, when we talk with people not working in the cities. travelto access outsideareas towith andlimited urban upinareas growingthosenatural environmentespecially possible, as much as for environment the experience to children the for need the andwell-being and of health importance the on primacy puts Belle rains come.” is“That where I willplant trees, and I want to do it soon, when the other flowers abounding in the area. and roses native the and crabs freshwater the well as remembers were and bewitched were dragonflies the (fairies). She (fairies). engkantos

131 Forest Faces Seeing the eagle for the forests A view of Manila where Aratiles grows best they remember.they what to similar something into present the transform and them revive to which by ways exploring and memories, past clutching theinpresent-daylive theseizingopportunitiesrealities, available, must Yet, they untenable. and unacceptable becoming are which andthe seek to by models struggle which to live their present lives, mindset amongst the current generation of Filipinos who continue While this may not be fully realistic and achievable, it does reflect a responded to inbe relation to what the heldbefore. past always throws to back the and Belle how past, the present to needs It is noticeable that our conversation on forests and the environment the today. changesin the lives ofpeople the MRT ride back to Quezon City, one can see the roofscapes and narrative noble the on the etched andside narraa tree beautifulof proportion. But still on is there monument, the Around childhood. her from there still gardens Japanese and Chinese the pointsout Belle sugar), curd caramelized withandsoybean vanilla ateLuneta andin down sat we As efficient earthen ovens, fuel- although these ovens still use charcoal. of use the and growing vegetable for gardens bio-intensive on focus that activities livelihood supporting also is HARIBON movement for environmental issues. constituent this creating in strategy HARIBON’s explains Belle is. When people see the connection, they will do something,” is how forest thewhere remembers and values personal incorporatesthat a create frame mind to a within acts needs thatenvironment the and for constituency awareness-raising and advocacy of lot a toorient children in this way today. stillwell as needs Civil society need “Weup. grow they when retained be will children, these in greaterenvironment.ingrained once thatvalues,these hopes Belle “taho” (a local snack made frommadesnack local (a and thechangesinlives ofpeopletoday. roofscapes the see can one City, Quezon to back ride MRT the on But proportion. beautiful of tree narra a there is still the noble narrative etched on the side and there from her childhood. Around the Rizal still are Luneta monument, of gardens Japanese and Chinese The

133 Forest Faces Seeing the eagle for the forests 134 Forest Faces Seeing the eagle for the forests of the past. Forests can be restored, but no longer in a 20 Forestsa inthepast. of longer restored,butno be can identified are defined froma people perspective a of by changes restoration The manner. same the in re-planted be cannot past the the Philippine eagle, but ourselves. also the Philippine eagle, of survival the ensure just not will that balance the find to trying choose the ways forward in environmental and forest management, and seek we as integrated fully be must reality This parents. their Filipino children is growing up in an entirely different from reality of generation present The blocks. contiguous such in available or there longer no are survive to need they that areas forest massive the remaining population is estimated to be around 100 to 300. The and endangered, critically but around, still is eagle Philippine The management. forestPhilippine thinkingin new straitjacketingof emergence the is past the of effect cushioning The before. was whereit from now context. The environment can improve,different but a has context environment. http://www.haribon.org.ph/) (Source: constant reminder to the Filipinos to be continuously involved in taking care of their the importance of protecting biodiversity in the Philippine territory. Its presence is a the king of birds, the Philippine Eagle. The PhilippineEagle is the icon that signifies research. The name“Haribon” was coined from the words “haring ibon,”referring to conservation actions on habitats and sites, based on solid scientific and socio-economic It aims to build a constituency for environmental issues that will call for prioritizing biodiversity.Philippine of conservation the to dedicatedorganizationmembership 1 21 a in needed urgently thinking and ideas of dearth the reflects also this Sadly, The HARIBON Foundation for the Conservation of Natural Resources is a Resources Natural of Conservation the for Foundation HARIBON The st etr Piipns wee h raiy s that is reality the where , century th century MICHAEL MASTURA Historian and Peace Negotiator

atu Michael “Mike” Mastura is a noted lawyer, lecturer, and Dauthor from Magindanaw1 and earned his Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Law degrees from Notre Dame University in Cotabato City, and his Master of Law degree from the University of the Philippines. He is a member of the peace negotiating panel for the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in the ongoing peace talks with the Philippine government.2

Datu Mastura is directly descended from the lineage of Shariff Mohammed Kabungsuwan of Johore, who introduced Islam in the area at the end of the 15th century and subsequently married a local princess. His ancestor, Sultan Mohammad Dipatuan Kudarat, established the Sultanate of Magindanaw. Th e Cotabato Valley formed the sultanate’s heartland, but its infl uence extended from the Zamboanga Peninsula to and Davao.

Datu Mastura gives us a story centered around the mouth of the Pulangi as it has cut its way across . He talks of its fl ooding and the life of the river, the history of the people and the land. He is focused on the importance of the law; he says that this is about land-ownership and until this is settled, along with administrative autonomy, their people cannot go forward, and their forests and resources will be poorly governed.

Well managed drainage of Islamic Academy On the banks of autonomy 136 Forest FacesOn the Banks of Autonomy Life onthePulangi,lifeofCotabato,people comments, “Filipinos donotlike terminal points, closure.” limitationsDatu preventconclusion. timepolicy the All forward. way a be to is there if undone be must which but together, tied are things all where Act Organic familiar less to, and the then claims, discussed ancestral the and further migrations areof Forestlands Mindanao. in story lands of, familiar a allocation with starts discussion The if rectified goingtherebe substantialto is change. anothertothing thereforeonehowleads and and back tracedmust be emerge and what the Moro responses have been, though and neglected, and the seas. Nothing is more serious than knowing the as policies they reflection deep of and wisdom show and a the lands,the people, Moro dominate definitions these discussion, the Throughout governance. the last century with a definedconcept of land, resources, territory, and question of how the Moro have fared as the Philippines has emerged in the to subsidiary are landscape, sustainable and culture Magindanaw Thediscussions are deeply searching and forests, though integral to the and the the Philippine government. MILF between talks peace thoughts on various topics of the land as they interrelate to the ongoing his shared openly he spoke, we As well. very so does familiar,”he and part in are you what to reference with view of point a arguing clearly am I explaining in argument: explanatory of style “the says, Datu as in, engage to is knowledge local of wealth this into dip to seeking In quick “they” are, results in adifferent in path ofelucidation. who exactly all clarify to conversation - of flow the landholders Tobreak succession. big and migrants Philippine the or administrations, Japanese, Spanish, American, the hand, other the on or Moros, the ancestors, of generation certain given a be can never “They” titles. are who presidents and governments administrations, any in by talkingoccupancies of stream a but and ancestors of stream genealogy, a of moment one family a with does one years, the the as centuries, through We traverse essential. most is coffee brewed neighbor’s the feast, simple a after Mastura Datu with talking When giutrl oois n pattos ea wt te ulc Land 1903. Public of theAct with began grew. plantations expansions and colonies the Agricultural came, settlements the Once settlements. grass for areas ) cylindrica identified Americans (Imperata The Valley. Koronadal cogon the as were such land, that valleys or cleared be could that areas to going often settle, to came war,people the “Before contextreports donotgive and history, compound they the problem. about the past is of necessity, a part of understanding any event.” When reminiscingthat feel we but documented, are events particular the of All writings. journalistinvestigative or case, a of investigation the on focused often are communication national for incident an covering People policy. the beyond goes effects the for reason “The policy. of the conflicts and fighting, the human difficulties, are not just effects the Datu Mastura confirms that forest experiences, the hopes ofpeople, and Losing lands when you are building and farming. There was a demand for exports for demand a was There farming. and building are you when the that say settlers to were the ones not that cut all of the is trees. YouThis can only cutforests. so much the in interested are you because post-war,conversationouris of pointstarting the methodical, “Being War when this area was deforested, denuded. post-Second World was It solution. unrest social the is This war. the took over during the Japanese occupation. Roxas sent the Ilonggos Osmeñaafter 1944, in died he WorldwhenWar Second and the of onset was Quezon a different timeashis administrationgot caught up at the period. Commonwealththe during 1935 in enacted was 1935 of Act the was this Quirino sent the Ilokanos Because here, when the Quirino-Recto Colonization 1913. to back colonization go act period, even the act can itself and presidents are I references. generation, my “In classification of lands, and soforestlands were classified around 1932. then got into coconut plantations. The public land registration required were the Firestone rubber years. IndividualAmericans years. Firestonerubber the were These dominated.plantations rubber the end, the in butplantations, 3 The Americans were interested to set up all sorts of all sorts up set to interested were Americans The 4 stayed on and on stayed

137 Forest Faces On the banks of autonomy 138 Forest Faces On the banks of autonomy divided divided up the uplands. They pasture.As for public then land, and therefore, priority logging, forof concessions occupation for franchise, for applying by land of tracts huge acquired who families big were “There returns, infrastructure, and investments.” contributed to the gross national product and made explanations out of now is years this later,recognized, after wecounted and measured what Only growth.national attributedto never was resourcesMindanao of was contribution timber. export This the of for bulk major the product Japangot and timber primary The time. Ramos’ of term a use to flagship, the primary, is product the economy, the in that Weknow To me, given the performance of the economy, we were second to Japan. during the post-war period because our economy was trying to recover. are 16or 24datus versus the many ofthe area.” people I’ve heard so much about indigenous peoples, but even so, the recipients limited. are both because patent,or homestead as not canbut it, for apply You disposable. is it that clear very is it and easily, classification land the convertYou can again. game legal a is It disposable. already were lands the because titles, for applied already Moros the of “Some by securinggo the area using firearms. licensed and come can determinewho ownership,and necessarily not area, the control of practical retain to is point tenantsThe not here.are that we for cows pasture andhere. imported they released So You lease. can see “Again, government turned around, and informed us that we can apply differentand required kinds ofactivities. for capital money formation.point, easy And then turned they around the is that And capital. corporate generate could they timber,the cut and applied they Once title. of perfection the afford not could people Poor title. of perfection the for applying while planted and occupied werelands the titleswereimperfect; but lands, large patents,easy sales The lands wereconverted to cultivation andconverted to private lands, applies over priority ofpossession, but atable itisdone survey. as 5

conflict specific to land. It is about control and ownership. Titling ownership. and control about is It land. to specific conflict a settling a congressman. were We as then and governor’soffice the this? know in officer I legal a was I when testimony a handled I practically is do This How erupts. violence until areas in replicated this is And forests. not but coffee, as such crops plant to one allows about talking was Aquino Cory that reform land retain to this ways So land. new the present avoid cannot you that laws new “The hands. Then that it, was the end of trees, the end of replanting. Filipino to corporationmultinational the from changed ownership did this religiously and complied with the requirements. But then the the other end, you can come back, and cut down Theagain. company reach you time the By plant. you then down, cut you was rationale The reforestation. with compliant very were They income. good The of Kudarat. years in Sultan had and was rights timber granted was WarehouserCorporation earlier, much example, other “The land the development. Iwanted the community raise tofrom grow in the area. benefit will not do invests and out and move we in while artificially, prices comes who speculator the that is they could own and in a way, something they could title. Thepoint I am making to pastureland the converting by subdivided it wanted They land. the for applied planners development airport The cows. were there and lease pasture under still was area the “Atpoint, that or compliance, avoidance being theground.” middle defiance was mechanism old The community. the constructed, thewould tendpeople to retreat rather than strengthen airport the withunderstandthat not did they but here,community the retain to wanted we and they Both area. the in airport straight long, a build to going were they anticipatingwereand development they that me informedgovernment the but place, the see to went I mosque. a build to place We good airport. a City for searchingwere Santos General the I have near area that is conversion the time seen personally last “The design. national from interests development local for against agreements land of intangibility the was There squandered their resources and most of them did not manage well. well. manage not did them of most and resources their squandered power,of they butaroundlevel have Mindanao,still a some families blocks for people to build their political platforms. If one looks at the made people squatters. Then Marcos handed the lands out in massive and land that claim and consolidate to used Marcos what was That what was worse than this in terms of defining state landPD 705. was However, mind. in had actually theSpanish the what not under is Americans Doctrine Regalian the became What policy. informed formulation of the Spanish. It was an attitude an and integral as an not not Itwas a system. uphold a geographically have not did can thought, institutionof we which Doctrine, Regalian The is. land state what is this came, Americans the since ever that is analysis ESSC’s the Philippines. Forest cover, however, isanother matter. And at withthis stage, certain exclusions, this covers 51% of roughly 705, forestlands are those areas with 18% slope and above 100 meters. using that is stated in the law. According to Presidential Decree (PD) is ESSC that line rational a is There forestlands. delineated not has government the moment, the at thatMastura Datu with shared we Having been involved in a number of forest and forestland discussions, they Are rational, realistic?” classification? clear-cut a area, forest as declared is what of idea anyhave we Do out. sort to need we something“Forests are Losing forests andrivers conflictsallocation of land remain. under the thus and issues old the resolved never and law the of emerged questions over systems papered how tenure only policies these of some, for But government. Philippines history the is This were talking corporations, isdifferent which from the settlements.” Weland. the we of outand study a get undertook can whatyou and was not the direct concern. It was more of about theoccupancy area, planting?” for good herehave manyareas still we because “pushthis to way a is there if for asks He farms. tree efforts small encouraging even reforestation,or real serious, were never there it, sees Mastura Datu As him plantfast-growing is better this.This and than the gmelina.” helped I years. ten another in even anymore, supply a have not will thinkingthathe reforesting, is He years. 20 in harvested be can and theof tree planting that the DENR-Magindanaw promoted in 2006 looked at looked we plantingand tree to back gone has He products. forest to rice in dealing from shifted mill, rice a operatedthat MINRICO of owner Filipino-Chinese the Lately, wood. of instead plywood making to “The sawmillsalso folded up. They are still in the area, but they shifted to the has coast. gone logging the Maybe logs. more no are there that mean necessarily not does that But upstream. more no are there river, because the of part this through come longer no Logs out. bridge the knocked have they would as anymore allowed not were they maybe up, put was the bridge after And logs. many too were there 1964, in built was bridge “Along the Pulangi, we don’t see the logs anymore. Before the Quirino you doing to return these investments to where them?” yougot the capital region. You cannot fault that. But my question is, what are thatargue when you are developing the country, you toneed develop to used I Because formation. capital call I what is this people; with quarreldon’t I resources! Mindanao’sFromforest case? illustrative across from the public library. Where did that come from, to cite one the Then Manila Ermita, in building Antonino senators. an now is There died. mother were mother the and General father of the mayor Both the Santos. came family this From Santos. General in “That is so ironic,” Datu Mastura says.“Take the case of the Antoninos have they all BMW car. leftis a company that to Therehave logging a used helicopters. six was Now, antipolo ( ). We call it We call incisa). Artocarpus tekkep . This is part part is This .

139 Forest Faces On the banks of autonomy 140 Forest Faces On the banks of autonomy up on transported. are They dealing with until jurisdiction DENR recognition under not are holdings, These DENR small-scale private DENR. with has problems fewer It have farmers these operations. and farming tree six- private, small, hectare in successful is it Agusan, in that shared We W wl cniu wt this with continue will “We can provide funding andcontrol they the buying and negotiate. operationsthatuntil enough upthere are build they So area. their littleplant more of a Then treesthey are used. fromlocal obtained and crops, with plot their plant first they is Agusan in doing are many what funding, initial For expense ifthe farmers maintain the tree farms themselves. is a rapid buy-in. This works outfairly well and does not take much Besides, corporation. we still need a government institution. The first thing we will be will we thing first The institution.government a need still we energy, “In says, MaturaDatu Marsh gas. for Liguasan time this but of developing Cotabato, in hand the other on talk is There increased flooding. be will there and forest, limited with now area marsh central this in pool will runoff the mining, for settle they If expected. be will cannot the And productivity bring. will people that get and small) (large developments such that pressures the against up hold not and plantations, but the physical carrying capacity of the marsh will opening up the marshland (Agusan Marsh) to the impact of mining sharing Mindanao in thatsimilar poverty a leader, needs never as before. The province is province another Agusan, discussed We (Artocarpus camansi), something we can eatvegetables. as are happy with the shade. But timber,wefor shorelinegood trees, giving but are good Itgrow, thewater.to intall. greatgrow can very trees not are They type and also also and type mangium gmelina. Acacia mangium is too heavy and controlled by one antipolo. It is a variety of the breadfruit, has a good market and locally, therelocally, andmarket good a falcattahas talisay ( tekkep Terminalia easy catappaIt ). very is at the sides. Good seeds seeds Good sides. the at falcatta falcatta, or Aohr s the is Another antipolo. and increasingly giving kamansi no h Plni Wa i nee fr la Vle i t gt the get to is Valley Allah for needed is What Pulangi. the into down moving is sediment The banks. unstable of patterns flood braided causing and loads sediment vast creating source, its near up activities mining high-powered by degraded so been has river Hementions thatValley too rivertheAllah theThe more. in no is highway here.also acceleratedhighway The the deforestation.” navigable. And this was in the late 1950s, before the opening of the stillwasthe wayLake Bulwan,toit and thatall bring would wood vessels island small the remember I boy,young a As downstream. effect the considering without there people put to mistake a was “All of Sultan Kudarat province was forested land and it definitely forest. the to relation in concern of cause a is Flooding flooding. about more is effect immediate the that sense the in viewed probably is resource this protectingresource, necessary a as water of termsIn But the culture its itself proper isnot redesigning utilization. planting, is that company a possibly say, by, held management its and resource the of concept certain a is now. prevails What gone all is through the wasPulangi, Cotabato the as distribution center.downriver That side barter the or side, export the that us informs He or the domestic exchange. local producers by and were utilized partly driven resourcesby the avarice the of local export, supplied adequately that communities Anditspreviousbefore.definition was thatwas there were upland pressures, new designs. Therefore, the forest cannotbe definedas it that Mastura conscious, theand market are economically creatingis people new Datu with confirmed we further, this Discussing managerinvestor.such and a poor It a regulator.” will only be sharing production agreements, like Indonesia. through Thedifficulty is that this government system is contract our is developing or others, and redesigning resource management.resource redesigning and others, or apitong over. Our context of the forest is that its definition is no longer longer no is definition its that is forest the of context Our over. to do with this. The demands aregreater and the options are taking something river.also the anymoremarketon The has shipbuilders many rattan not are there the and resin like enough not true, is There river. hold the and longer no products the forest and of forest supply the in people between relations symbiotic “The forests to meanused due to wars and conflicts over time. the what of value and concept the lost has today culture with the resources within are not as valued as in other cultures. The the land is not used as a dowry, its importance and the relationship issue.” that an Given much very is This decision. privatemy right, my now environmentis the use I how openness, of because Now authority.this to up looked we before, because openness of price the environment. and It is the ecology moral authority the that preserve we have to situation lost. It moral is a the also is forest “The extraction upstream, flooded. gets the neighborhood original its to returned channel, and due river to sedimentation re-routedfrom deforestation and the riverbed how us showed He flooding. recent the of spoke he room, conference the of ceiling academy,his flows by cutting where was he and the thatSimuayRiverthe of area the in City Cotabato of edge theAt a nolonger plain, marsh.” isa rice flood Liguasan are gone. even if it briefly,flooded it and didsurvived not rot. These varieties the days, not sure of the planting season and the height of the water. In those planting times a as different pattern flood been has created. We are predict longer no can you Nowadays,plantrice. silting, of because still could you Pulangi, the of banks “Alongthe continues, Datu help,” Datu Mastura says. need “Wemanagement. and discussion the into provinces all the of pull to and watershed, the in happening is what to understand together work to Cotabato and Kudarat Sultan of provinces , or old rice, was a variety that was very tall, so tall, very was that variety a was rice, old or , mapasar apitongthefor and granted that there are impositions from above, what people people what above, from impositions are there that granted and of part cultural relations? In terms of the relationship with people, with, but what is the meaning deeper of forests, forestsbecause are dealt be to need land of politics the and thatpolicy Granted area. Moro Bangsa this within understanding for need a also is There definition,given the external of reality the government.Philippine needs area Moro Bangsa the that Mastura Datu with Weagreed Retaining and regaining rights ofmountains and river systems.on the ecology This is thehistory of resourceallocation and the integrative impact have in asense, become, conscious ofthe economic.” People market. the and industry the in changes the by defined is determined by those who depend on the forest directly, but instead Floodwaters ofSimuayRiverrecedingafterheavyrains

141 Forest Faces On the banks of autonomy 142 Forest Faces On the banks of autonomy in terms of the policy?” Datu Masturain terms asks. ofthe policy?” can come and who cannot come. Who has the right to make decisions who like regulation, with do to something has it end the that,in because over haggle to have will We government. national the mean “We also have this question of national parks. A national park would of the resources and therefore we cannot dowhat we want. charge in not areInsense,we a enough. what year,to that fair and is awarded. This has tobe subject to due process. We look at their term, contractsthe (concessions)terminateand been themhave after they who are already there. You have people to accept that. Youof outcannot all collect taxes of generation the of because about talked only is revenue “The forward. way no is there and arises revenue related of question the meantime, the In them. of hold a get understandingto how no to as is there there, are forests the that Recognizing this area without any forest before we can doanything.” leavemay and momentthe at onedominant a is it practice, orcultural concept original an considered be not may logging While logs. That conceptmay have corruptedby now. been before. People know can sell they logs exporting of case a was never there abuse. , from or over-use cannot we means also Regarding this export of it logs here in Mindanao, use, introduced by people say we “When use,”is Masturaexplains. Datuit – acknowledged not is issue “One how managed. thisretained, be will is it if or it, award to whom decide then can you because regulated be to needs what is That part. licensing the is other The ownership. but jurisdiction, only not ownership; of issues the resolve to We need forest. the cutting is who in interested are they but priorities, Moros’ the of one not is this because answer cannot I why is “That what ishappening to forestland. determinationof the contributingto is that here experience the diverse is understand to trying are we What definition. policy a from culture,not envisionwithinanda from and comes idealize perceive, taking out magnificent magnificent out taking have improved. Yet, there are the and loggers illegal the Manobos still WementionedDatuMasturato thatMindanao majorthe highways an inventory ofresources and gather data for management.” the field, you start with the applications and sense of land, and you do thereareIfin you claims. domainancestralassistingwhen reverse in the Youdo above. from land the up carving of picture that is there general, InCotabato.North Kudaratand Sultan now are whatinto subdivided was Cotabato North declared, was law martial “When au atr are ta te AT s ntoa porm is program national a as was designed different This for the to apply groups. cultural difficult CADT the that agrees Mastura Datu on people’sbe lives now, the as boundaries pursued can be later. should focus The line. exact an get to difficult was it boundariesand IPs that in pursuing the CADT, there was a focus on delineation and Peoples’ a Indigenous Rights Act during(IPRA), there was acknowledgement the from those assisting that on information meeting Group the Working Philippine Mastura Datu with shared We lengthy, canwhich be often means that are not they well managed. transitionperiod, The managed. badly be may they or managed well be may they that recognition the with area the in more managed be to need Resources livelihoods. and after survival people’s later to responding pursued be can (CADTs) Titles Domain Ancestral of ofhow terms in DatuMastura breakingis down theland question.whole Certificate difficulties the of an acknowledgement is There do?” we can What do? we do What them? for development is what So, lands. these develop cannot the that argument the is “There for them. nothing did (CADC) Claim Domain Ancestral of Certificate the their sell wheregreatly. is benefit nowThis not do resourcesand land the to who rights datus the Even families. their feed to enough lauan, tangile, lauan, and , but barely earning barely but yakal, is notabout land tenure, but territory. negotiation talkinglandtenure.is about MILF-GRP ongoing The and with dealing are we what that conclusion the to come we’ve And concepts. or constructs four to respond to agreed panel the in parties Bothterritory. and land, ancestral domain, ancestral of “In the peace negotiation talks, we were able to sort out the concepts BangsamoroConcept of land: making about only decisions tenure and resources. theterritory, understood also andbe to landhas of concept before happeningtheenvironmentto theBangsamoro, of thepeople and is what understand fully to that in says Mastura resources he However,Magindanaw. and Datu tenure of people, history and the explaining forests by responded of speaking started we As exercisesand the military in traditional Moro areas. hundredsubstantialtheyearsdevelopment,last the given issuesof for needed relations of integrity the represent not does this But grateful. is MasturaDatu that sense the get we of and development, full is roadside peoples’ of benefit Cotabato the for feet, 4 by feet 8 boards, project The USAID extent. same the to able to and are develop people increases that guarantee population cannot we to but due globalization, growing be may Mindanao the franchise. You have the to apply resource.” before youget is not a question of franchise. Before you have the market, you need in the use, or what you ‘put to use.’ Property law brings in policy. It is regulation the Moros, governance. For and territory after come with energy or what is advantageous to business. For us, the resources“We are talking these strategicoftenof resources havetoday; do to don’t want to touch that. the experience of the Cordillera. “It can be misused. That is why we with designed was It Cordillera. the in implemented initially and not what isbeing used. is this and ARMM, to applied be just cannot IPRA The land. the withrelations ancestral their about people Moro the with talking the Organic Act. It was arrived at through a plebiscite, not through a political construct that emerged from the 1987 Constitution and the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), which is with confused be to not is “AncestralMoropeople the of domain with the tenure and the resources ofpeople ofother groups. concept and it has a territory. After that is they recognized will deal the is (BJE). This Muslims. than other peoples Entity indigenous includes This Juridical Bangsamoro the domain, ancestral our granted not has far so government mapping The photography. tax aerial and to it attach and technology, modern using land the survey do will government The grasp. to easy is tenure “Land

143 Forest Faces On the banks of autonomy 144 Forest Faces On the banks of autonomy Huge warehousesbytheriverbankareincreasinglyabandonedduetosiltationofPulangi the Philippinesisnotfound inameltingpot.” in culture of value the but experience, American the in as assimilated be to dialect a was Everything Philippines. the in dialects and languages of uniqueness the recognized really never administration American the The way.” American it’ do of we ‘how sake is which unitarism the American in for unity submerged is consciousness “Ethnicity to mark the episodic event of freedom and independence.”and freedom of event episodic the mark to July, 1946 4 abandoned and 1898 June, 12 term-watchfixed Macapagal time,” across change the “when definitional as to open “sovereignty atas ‘certain rights inhere to the natives.’ Datu argues in a recent article to look are claimed in the name of the sovereignty under the divine right of kings, Ranaw.MagunidanaoandSulu, dynasticof therealms Even whenlands its historical sovereignty, the foundational authority figureas therulers of conceptual basis. Therethe is a ignore need to understandto theis Moroconcept oftypes land, the with tenure and deal just land to However,disposable).” and of types all different ownership: ancestral domain, home covers land, ancestral land, A&D (alienable land of concept “The land titles. we are notclassifying not delineating, domain ancestral for tenure.underland Anyway, fall are application will we CADC/CADT thethrough The jurisdiction. political about is indigenous of rights the on peoples and the declaration declaration is not about national UN minorities. The draft territory the using are “We s ih h Tet o Waitangi. of Treaty the with as gifts, of and values of thereexchangeswere treatiessigned, were “When sultanates and the treaty ofMagindanaw? and then bring in law Regalian without any recourse to the sovereignty of jurisdictionof limits thatin way. independence1898 Candeclare in you is Territory settled. theknow you as delineate, to is need you because area jurisdictionan over territory of question the Philippines, the “For Treaties, territory, andgovernance and then rights that in turn bring in laws.” concept, property the with “Webegin mustrights. property for looking Datuare and wantsaysnot they do minority a justthey not as seen to be consequence ofthe agreement.” primary in country Moro the of laws the where re-integrate and again up begin to wants sums society perhaps This framework. emancipatory an for 7 n, n uu n Mgnaa, was Magindanaw, and Sulu in And, 6 He argues argues He e ovd h polm ht oges n h ps ws always was When Constitution. the past in the there is in domain Ancestral issue; Congress avoiding. domain that the problemancestral the solved discussed we we when why is “That that help will system more realistically; people. Weout. it tenurelandterritory, the sort examine will even we will Once the government says this OK, is your jurisdiction, this is your problems. personal resolving be will we and court a like acting be years. 100 in finish not will We tenure,will withwenow landand on negotiate to titling of issue the is there classification, to back go we If political also. run the politically you how and involves that and territory backing, the involves Governance in. comes power regulatory and presumed is governance government, “For culture in the Philippines isnotfound in amelting pot. of value the but experience, American the in as assimilated be to dialect a Everythingwas Philippines. the in dialects and languages in American unity administration never really therecognized uniqueness of of sake the American for unitarism, which is ‘how submerged we do it’ the is American way.” consciousness The “Ethnic Manila central. become will There aregovernance.hierarchies of and components, diverse of union the in but system, in military thefound be to not is it unity, for looking Inover. now is it that drawnas from theit is ‘Right’ is people. not innow; history the sensedemocracy mass of ideal the cut Short today. Philippines the is interest in successor The wrong. was it knowing America with “Spain sold the Philippines for dollars, power20 million to power, Recent modificationsScotland, include TimorLeste, and absolute.Kosovo. and indivisible as sovereignty no Today, hold domain? can nation ancestral of ownership to rights Moro the recognize Philippines the not canownership,why to Maorirights the recognize can Zealand New If sovereignty. over handing not yes. If we read the treaty written in Jawi script Magindanaw, we were writtentreatySpanish,the intransferred? reads If sovereigntyone matter who claims juridical right.” extraction,explorationandno gas and hydrology thewith careful not are we if die will the Magindanawon and die will Pulangi The Datu But before.” environment.the of done reality the “WeMasturaface stilladmits, will have Britain and Spain like countries other that Nothing set-up? unitary present the from immovable so is What secession. of short something is BJE of Republic “The union. perfect a for compromise a already is BJE and BJE territorial the into fits merea associative orfederative concept sovereignty of capital.The BJE as in the concept of federalism in which Metro Manila becomes butcanwehave possible, nothingis else joint jurisdiction over the system, strict, Inunitary a system.America sustainingSpanish the of fruit the clashes is This determination neo-colonialism. Manila self of injustices the with the of right becomes the and sovereignty ruling State, of substance the of conception the “With so that with itjibes the product ofthe present negotiations. Act Organic theWe undo to doing. governmentis theneed what It there? when already is it doesn’t make sense. amworriedI about negotiate you can it. How approaching are we way the not is That Thepeople are analyzed and judged on thebasis of the Organic Act. understand us. What can you do? There isalready the Organic Act. picture Thatcannotthefor emerge. political to wait why is people to have we resources, the divide we after because settled not “Itis area and require will funding and many other things. in smaller be may region autonomous the because no, said I and autonomous the region, to on it pass we’ll said, They on. it passed They not. was it but resolved, be to domain ancestral wanted we review,under was Program Reform Agrarian Comprehensivethe 1 1 Muslim Mindanao but Cotabato City did not, which, ironically, has since served served since has ironically, which, not, did CotabatoCity but MuslimMindanao in Region Autonomous the join to opted it 1989, In Province. Cotabato original Magindanaw is the only Muslim-majority province of the four created out of the of createdout fourtheonly Muslim-majoritythe of is province Magindanaw

145 Forest Faces On the banks of autonomy 146 Forest Faces On the banks of autonomy Act President andChief ExecutiveOfficer, Philippine Amanah Bank, 1984to • Founder andPresident, Sultan Kudarat Islamic Academy • Founder, Islamic Welfare ofthe Philippines Society • Co-Founder, Southeast Asian Shariah Law Association • Delegate, 1971Philippine Constitutional Convention • Member, Mindanao Economic Development Council • Member, Philippines Southern Development Authority • Member, Board ofRegents, Mindanao State University • Minister, Deputy Ministry ofMuslim Affairs • Former Congressman who represented First District and ofMaguindanao • the following: various fellowships and as a member of official delegations to other countries, include 2 Tawi-Tawi andthe ofMarawi. city now composed of Magindanaw, ShariffKabunsuan, Lanaodel Sur,Basilan, Sulu, only inland towns and no access to the coast, rendering it landlocked. TheARMM is with Magindanaw left Kabunsuan Shariff of creation The Barira. and Matanog Buldon, Parang,Mastura, Sultan T.Sinsuat, Blah Datu Kudarat, Sultan Upi, out of Magindanaw, is composed of the towns of Datu Odin Sansuat, Kabuntalan, carved province, new The ARMM. the in 6th the and country’sprovince the80th new province, ShariffKabunsuan, composed of 10 towns.Shariff Kabunsuan became October 2006, voters in Magindanaw’s 29 municipalities approved the creation of a 31 On Muslim(ARMM). Mindanaoin Autonomous Region the of capitalthe as 4 3 Project, June 2002). Resources,” and Land DENR-USAID-Ecogov to Relation in ARMM in Conflict for homesteads a report byand Dr.corporations (from Evelyn J. Caballero“Basis of lands public unappropriated or unreserved, unoccupied, considered State the that lands fertile other and Mindanao up opened also 1925 and 1919, the 1913, of gaveActs that 1905 of Law Mining the Americans and plantations; up set to want who corporations and peasants landless to and Mindanao homesteadsopening of and up areas settingresettlement the to led that 1903 of 926 No. Act Land Public Sultanate and the chiefs of tribes to parcel out withoutlands government approval; Moro the prohibitedthat 1903 of No.178 ActCommission Philippine provided; eeomn i Mnaa ad mrcnond lnain wr developed were plantations American-owned and Mindanao in development agriculturalpioneered plantersAmerican 25 Zamboanga-Sulu1908, districts.By During the American period, the related land policies were the: Land Registration of a recipient being from apart accomplishments, and career Mastura’s Datu From No.496 1986 Cotabato City, 1987to 1995 1900-1920, the of 1902 right to requiring there acquire were all public 46 lands land pioneer to for be American registered mining purposes. and firms that established The Torrens Public title in Land the be Bangsamoro People: How did wegethere? Wherenext?” wego do (ibid.). conflict armed through to resorted was land the of possession forceful influential, and wealthy sufficiently was owner title the and move, to refused occupants the if Andgroups.Muslim bothlumad already occupiedby and lands forindividuals by obtainedbe to titleslegal for unusual not was it occupation,and of priority on not 5 7 6 established inCotabato, Davao, Zamboanga,(ibid.). Agusan, andLanao agricultural were colonies 1930, hectares. By 1,000 to 50 rangingfrom areas with in New andregarded Zealand New as Zealand’s founding document. The then Bureau of Lands awarded land rights based on priority of claims filed, filed, claims of priority on based rights land awarded Lands of Bureau then The

Datu Michael O. Mastura, 12 February 2007 “A Time for Reckoning for the for Reckoning for “ATime 2007 February 12 Mastura, O. Michael Datu This treaty was signed on 6 February 1840 between the British and Maori chiefs