Promote SFM Bill through Webinar
In lieu of the annual National Conference, the SFFI conducted the six-part webinar series themed Forest Trek: A Deep Search into the Forest for the Nation’s Recovery, with cooperation with the FAO-EU-FLEGT Programme. Webinar topics were recommended, discussed, and agreed during Project Team discussions and are deemed “essential” to implementing SFM in case the law is paased. This also served as opportunities for providing updates on the status of the SFM Bill and invite participants to participate in the campaign for its passage through their networks and social media accounts. Each webinar was conducted every Wednesday from October 28 to December 2, 2020 with topics on:
a. OFFER: Part 1: Reducing Poverty in the Uplands Through Community Based Forest Management Strategy by Dr. Ernesto Guiang on October 28, 2020;
b. OFFER Part 2 - Reviving the Industrial Forest Management Agreement: Boosting Economic Recovery by For. Wilbur Dee on November 4, 2020;
c. A Dynamic Model for Sustainable Forest Operations: Application of Geographic Information System and Agent-based Modeling by Dr. Nathaniel C. Bantayan with Dr. Cristino L. Tiburan, Jr., Prof. Paul Ramirez, Prof. Zenith Arnejo, and For. Leo Barua on November 11, 2020;
d. Watershed-based Land Use Planning: Contribution to SFM and Minimizing Public Health Risks by Dr. Rex Victor O. Cruz on November 18, 2020;
e. The National Protected Area System Master Plan 2019-2030 by Forester Melody Ann Malano on November 25, 2020; and
f. Enhancing Survival of Plants in Agroforestry by Forester Ur Bala on December 2, 2020.
The Webinar had an average of 450 participant (Foresters and other interested professionals) per topic from the national and local governments, academe, private sector and civil society organizations. In every topic, announcement was made (at the start, middle, and end) that the webinar series is part of the Advocacy Towards the Passage of the SFM Bill Project – Phase 2 under the FAO-EU-FLEGT Programme. Photo-documentations were made in all six webinars (See Annex 27, 28, 29, 30, 31 & 32).