Network Establishment of LCAs in the Polillo Group of Islands

The Polillo Group of Islands The group of islands further (also referred to as the Polillos, supports important populations of Polillo Archipelago, or Polillo several globally threatened species, such Islands) is located off the central as the Philippine cockatoo (Cacatua haematuropygia), the Butaan monitor east coast of Island in lizard (Varanus olivaceus), and at least province and comprises nine endemic bird sub-species, 27 small islands and islets. including two of the world’s most endangered parrots, namely, the It is an important conservation area endemic Polillo blue-naped parrot (T. l. because of its remaining forest, which hybridus) and the Polillo blue-backed is classified entirely as a lowland parrot (T. s. freeri). The biodiversity evergreen forest and serves as a habitat importance of the Polillos is affirmed by to several endemic species and sub- being one of the Key Biodiversity Areas species of fauna and flora. Species of the as declared by the diversity in the Polillos is attributable Department of Environment and Natural to its wide range of habitats, Resources (DENR) through the represented from terrestrial to marine Biodiversity Management Bureau and ecosystems, including unique limestone several international and national forests and caves. institutions. The biodiversity of the Polillos is threatened LCA Development mainly by the loss of its forest habitats, which are now reduced to about 19% of the total land area. With technical assistance The loss is primarily due to the extensive commer- from Biodiversity cial logging that occurred between the 1950s and Conservation Foundation, Inc. 1980s, and now most of the forests are already (PBFCI) and the Philippines fragmented. The municipality of Polillo accounts Biodiversity Conservation for about 46% of the total forest cover of the Polillo Foundation Inc. (PBCFI), the archipelago, the largest across all municipalities, Polillo municipality and all other followed by and , each with local government units (LGUs) in almost 18% of the total. Mangroves are situated Polillo Islands maximized the along the coastlines of the five municipalities, the opportunity accorded by the most extensive of which are found in Burdeos due Local Government Code (LGC) in to a number of islands in its jurisdiction. Marshes developing and implementing or wetlands, covered with grassy vegetation, can the pioneering concept of the also be found in . Local Conservation Area (LCA) in the five municipalities. Given that Most formerly forested areas in the Polillos much of the forestlands in the have since been converted into human settlement Polillos have no clear institutional and permanent agriculture, particularly coconut mechanisms and effective plantations, while most of the few remaining protection measures from the forests are secondary, fragmented, and otherwise national government before the disturbed. The continued attrition of these forest establishment of LCAs, it is only fragments through slash-and-burn cultivation, logical that the LGUs should take coupled with unregulated cutting of trees, appropriate conservation strate- hunting, and other unsustainable extraction of gies to ensure the conservation of forest products, poses further obvious and severe the biodiversity of this group of threats to the biologically important species and islands. The actions of the LGUs habitats in the Polillos, especially the lowland to declare LCAs were motivated forest. Prior to the implementation of some by the assistance extended by conservation initiatives in the area, the PBCFI and PIBCFI, particularly in inadequacy of locally available resources and providing relevant and updated support, the lack of capacity and technical information on biodiversity and expertise, and the absence of appropriate capacity building, including institutional arrangements to effectively protect mentoring and coaching in the and manage the remaining forests seriously development of local ordinances, aggravated the situation. programs, and projects for LGUs. LCA Rationale and Legal Accord establishment, maintenance, and conservation of communal forests and There is no doubt that the Polillo watersheds, tree parks, greenbelts, Group of Islands has numerous mangroves, and other similar forest important biodiversity sites, as affirmed development projects. The LGUs, by numerous studies. However, the therefore, are in a position to explore question is on the kind of management mechanisms in implementing their legally regime that should be introduced in constituted mandate. order to secure the area from destructive activities. While there are several Moreover, the management of the management options available, most of environment and natural resources covers these are issued nationally and require a broad range of concerns and substantial processes to institutionalize responsibilities. The DENR itself is such as the protected area management encouraging the participation of the scheme. different sectors in ensuring environmental protection and natural resources Other important considerations in conservation. With the limited financial designing the conservation management and personnel resources of the DENR, it model to be implemented in the Polillos can hardly cover all areas where its are the practicability, effectiveness, and presence is supposedly badly needed. By local ownership of the system to be contrast, the local governments from introduced. As previously mentioned, to provincial levels are all over there are several important procedures the country. Their proximity to those areas and processes to be followed in the where the remaining forests are left is ideal establishment of protected areas under for them to take on certain forest the National Integrated Protected Areas management functions. System (NIPAS). These procedures are indeed necessary to ensure that the It is also important to invoke local proposed sites have the necessary accountability in terms of natural resources requirements to become protected areas. management. The highly centralized The urgency of arresting further forest system of natural resources governance in degradation and instituting a the Philippines has not been proven to be management regime for the Polillo effective as our environment continues to Group of Islands have motivated the deteriorate while our natural resources are PIBCFI and PBCFI to develop alternative progressively depleted. With the different schemes for the management of the conditions prevailing in the municipalities identified biologically important sites of and cities across the country, it is necessary the area. As such, the concept of an LCA that policy issuances shall also be was coined and developed for the Polillo decentralized, which the LGC invokes. Group of Islands. These premises led the way for the LCA to evolve in the Polillo Group of Islands. The local governments are mandated to ensure the delivery of basic social and other welfare services to their constituents. Protecting the forest for the provision of domestic water requirements and other ecological functions is therefore an important aspect of local governance. This consideration is of paramount importance for LGUs to enact ordinances T. l. hybridus (Polillo and implement programs and projects blue-naped parrot) that would ensure the protection of the forest. The LGC clearly supports this notion by granting authority to LGUs in providing measures for the (Top right) BK guards patrolling. (Top left to bottom) Flow chart showing LCA declaration process. PIBCFI file photos

LCA Declaration Process The profiling involved both scientific and participatory approaches so that the different The LCA establishment in the stakeholders were already involved in the Polillos did consider several selection processes of the LCAs. The criteria procedures that are both scientifi- were further evaluated based on assessments to cally and socially acceptable. It establish the list of candidate sites for declaration likewise considered the procedural as LCAs, which were further mainstreamed in requirements of the law-making the legislative processes of the local functions of the local government. governments.

The numerous studies The declaration of these sites followed a conducted in the Polillos became consultative process involving all affected the basis in identifying potential communities and officials in the 23 separate sites to be the declared as LCAs. barangays covering these sites. This was done Since there are numerous sites to prior to the ’s approval of the be considered, short listing was salient ordinances in each of the three done using the criteria of biological municipalities. The LGC requires the conduct importance (presence of habitats of public hearings for ordinances to be passed and endemic species) and threats, by LGUs, and this process was also completed. accessibility and manageability, PBCFI and PIBCF not only helped ensure that and high potential for success. The issues and concerns raised during public short-listed sites were then consultations were considered in the final subjected to further assessment drafting of the three ordinances but that these and validation, which resulted in ordinances also included numerous provisions the preparation of site profiles that balancing biodiversity requirements of LCAs consisted of physical and spatial and community needs for livelihood and land characteristics, biological resources tenure. These LCA ordinances in the three (habitat, flora, and fauna), socio- municipalities of have been cultural and economic conditions, affirmed and approved by the Sangguniang and institutional and management Panlalawigan of Quezon province. arrangements. Various BK activities: trekking, site monitoring, recording of observed biodiversity in the area, advocacy with locals, and habitat monitoring. PIBCFI

The LCA Management As DENROs, BKs were given the authority to assist in the implementation Since the declaration of the LCAs within of national laws and in some cases, to mainland Polillo in 2007 and the additional assist in the seizure of illegally acquired areas established within the neighboring forest products and to act as witnesses for municipalities of Patnanungan and Jomalig the government during cases against five years later, various conservation offenders (i.e, case of Willy Zacarias of initiatives focused on these priority sites Barangay Anawan, Polillo, Quezon). have been implemented in partnership with the lead agency, the LGUs, People’s These BK groups federated into a Organizations (POs), and the local coordinating body, which they call communities. Federation of Bantay Kalikasan Associations within Polillo Islands. The One such initiative is the formation of federation president facilitates the five Bantay Kalikasan (BK) groups with a coordination of information that needs to cumulative number of volunteers totaling be settled across municipalities within 140. These groups include the Samahan ng BK groups. In the last federation meeting Bantay Kalikasan ng Polillo (SABAKAP), this year, one decision was to unify the Burdeos Bantay Kalikasan Brigade (BBKB), response process of BKs relative to Bantay Kalikasan Association reported illegal activities and to reinforce (PABAKA), ISLA Berde, and Jomalig Bantay a protocol in providing assistance to Kalikasan Association (JOBAKA). DENR LGUs across the five municipalities. deputized 57 of the 140 BK volunteers as Deputy Environment and Natural Resource As part of the New Conservation Officers (DENROs). Areas in the Philippines Project (NewCAPP) target, in May 2011, DENR BKs assist the LGUs in implementing through the Forest Management Bureau’s local and relevant environmental Land Evaluation Party, surveyed 109 ordinances and regularly conduct kms. as part of the LCA delineation monitoring of the LCAs at three levels: 1) process and established 491 monuments barangay level, 2) LCA cluster level; and 3) covering more than 7000 has. of inter-municipality level. Monitoring results dipterocarp forest in the island. An are relayed to barangay captains who are important accomplishment, the members of the LCA site management demarcation and delineation process committee, and in cases involving more ensured that the boundaries of the serious offenses, are endorsed to the conservation priority sites were clearly municipal LGU through the Municipal identified and had visible markers on the Environment and Natural Resources Office. ground. BKs of Patnanungan and Jomalig during the DENRO training workshop at Sta. Monica Beach Resort, Infanta, Quezon. Virtito C. Natural Jr./PIBCFI Another important LCA Network LCA Dev’t Key accomplishment for LCA Features, Insights, conservation is the establish- Local stakeholders and Lessons Learned ment of a 130-hectare Habitat from five municipalities of Restoration (HR) site covering the Polillo archipelago The major contribu- denuded forest ecosystems commit-ted to support tion of LCA was the within LCAs using Assisted biodiversity conservation in development of an Natural Regeneration and the island. innovative and far more AgroForestry (AgF) strategies. localized system of These HR sites were The five LCA Manage- management for the established in partnership ment Councils overseeing enhanced conservation of with BK groups and in cases management of the 10 LCA biologically important of AgF sites, with individual clusters within Polillo areas. Prior to this claimants who were Islands converged to form development, one of the encouraged to diversify the initial network to direct most popular options for cultivated crops from mono- the conservation initiatives the development of new cropping to multi-cropping across the municipalities. “protected areas” was the and by integrating fruit This was done through the National Integrated bearing trees (i.e., coffee and initial formation of the Protected Areas System. cacao) within coconut Polillo Group of Islands plantations. Environment Management The LCA process Council during the 1st offers more ownership to A science-based Polillo Group of Islands local stakeholders, thus approach to conservation, the Biodiversity Summit held at increasing the prospects LCA framework was Binakayan, Cawit, on of more effective, shorter- established using the results 10-12 October 2012. term enactments of agreed of various studies within the conservation manage- Polillo archipelago. Consoli- Through the declara- ment priorities and the dating available information tion of support towards likely longer-term into a single document was biodiversity conservation, sustainability of these accomplished by developing the five LGUs through their interventions through key the Resource and Socio- executive and legislative funding mechanisms and Economic Assessment (RSEA) leaders committed to other provisions of the documents for the five develop the Polillo Islands covering municipal municipalities with focus on Biodiversity Conservation government ordinances, LCA sites. The RSEAs were Strategic Action Plan. These which are specifically used as the basis for the commitments were rein- tailored to address current updating process forced in the Sangguniang priority concerns being done by LGUs for their Bayan Resolutions adopt- identified and agreed Comprehensive Land Use ing the summit manifesto. upon during prior Plan. consultative processes. The salient features of the LCA ordinances include the following:

• Delineation of sites declared as • Formal establishment of LCA Management Council LCAs with specific technical in each municipality to serve as the requisite (but descriptions. previously non-existent) local management authority. Each council is co-chaired by the municipal mayor • Acceptance and incorporation and DENR officer, but must also include council of any prior rights (i.e., areas member representatives from all relevant local NGOs within LCAs covered by and POs. existing legal private land titles, stewardship contracts, • Development and implementation of a detailed and other valid and legitimate management plan for each declared LCA that also resource use rights) while still defines necessary management zones such as the strict requiring all activities in these protection or core areas and any other limited-use area areas to conform to the essential for local community livelihood requirements management plans prepared and land tenure agreements. for each site through the creation of formal partnership • Definition of prohibited activities and corresponding agreements with prior rights penalties and policing mechanisms. holders that would enable the cooperative management and • Establishment of relevant financing mechanisms such protection of the tenured areas. as the annual LGU budgetary allocations.

Even more important, the Government (DILG) issued in 2004 to identification and subsequent declaration support the further devolution of authority of these LCAs were firmly centered on both and functions of national government region-wide and site-based biodiversity agencies to local governments, as mandated surveys led by the most experienced local by the Local Government Code. It therefore field research biologists. The new LCA provided the enabling environment for the network was not only established on the DENR and DILG local offices and local basis of sound scientific criteria but was governments to comply with this national also designed to optimize local social directive. acceptability and stakeholder ownership. The creation and institutionalization of A clearly defined institutional the LCA Management Councils in the three mechanism for the management of Polillo Island municipalities was also a biologically important terrestrial habitats pioneering effort in establishing a formal and ecosystems in the Polillos, through the local resource management on terrestrial concept of LCA, was developed and biodiversity in this region, which was implemented with the full support and entirely absent in the past. As such, this active assistance of relevant local initiative addressed the issue of lack of an stakeholders. The development of LCAs institutional mechanism to manage the facilitated the first co-management biologically important sites in the Polillos. arrangement in resource management Moreover, the participation of NGOs and between the DENR and the local communities/POs in this management governments in the Polillos. The DENR council is now assured. This innovation designated representative co-chairs with conforms to the President’s Executive Order the Mayor in the LCA Management Council on Sustainable Forest Management of the in the municipalities of Polillo, Burdeos, Philippines, which invokes participation of and Panukulan. civil society groups in resource manage- ment. This initiative is in consonance with the national thrust on collaborative The establishment of the first ever resource management between the national network of protected sites was identified and local agencies, as contained in a joint and selected on the basis of both biological memorandum circular of the DENR and importance and representation in terms of the Department of Interior and Local species, habitats, and ecosystems diversity. The identification and development of these With the establishment of LCAs, LCAs was based on sound scientific communities were provided with concrete criteria, guidelines, and methodologies. opportunities pertaining to land tenure The vast majority of the data was also security and sustainable livelihood, which collected and assessed by the most were included in the ordinances for the experienced local practitioners noted for declaration of LCAs. Similarly, the LCA their technical and specialist expertise. ordinances contained additional measures for community organizing since The establishment of these LCAs was no such POs exist in the communities initiated entirely through local processes within and surrounding these LCAs. The and approval, thereby also creating a management sustainability of the LCAs is strong sense of ownership and collabora- likely assured through the creation of the tion among the different stakeholders. LCA financing mechanism. To these ends, The development of ordinances declaring the municipalities of Polillo, Burdeos, and these LCAs was also undertaken through Panukulan have each allocated an annual a participatory approach, which included budget for the different LCAs. Similarly, technical capacity building among local all LGUs in the Polillos have officially legislators through provisions of practical designated Municipal Environment and training on policy development on Natural Resources Officers (MENROs). environment and natural resources management. The identification and Clear road maps for the management selection of LCAs were also subject to of LCAs were laid down with the extensive consultations involving local development of initial management plans officials and community representatives, for these sites. These initial plans and the public hearing requirements of enumerate necessary strategies and key the Local Government Code for the actions to ensure the protection and passage of LGU ordinances was likewise conservation of biodiversity, with considered. identified institutions responsible for the implementation of various activities. The concept of LCA is now becoming an alternative modality to the existing resource management systems in the Philippines. Several organisations have already expressed interest over this concept. In particular, the Philippines Biodiversity Conservation Program aims to implement this concept in its other key project sites in the Calamians, , , Negros, and other islands.*

* Lifted from Developing Local Conservation Areas: The Polillo Group of Islands Experience, A Primer by Gatumabato, E.A, Oliver, W.O, and Villanueva, L.