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 Luzon Island in lizard (Varanus olivaceus), and at least Quezon 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 Philippines 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 Polillo Islands 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 Burdeos and Patnanungan, 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 Jomalig. 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, barangay 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 Sangguniang Bayan’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