July 30, 2021, Tacloban City, Leyte — After several lockdowns and travel restrictions due to the pandemic, the Region 8/Eastern Visayas SFM Bill Rollout had finally become a reality. The eagerness was evident in the faces of the participants who attended in person, among whom were members of Local Government Units, People’s Organization, DENR CENRO and PENRO Offices, and even the representative of Southern Leyte Governor Damian G. Mercado, in addition to the ever-supportive members of the Society of Filipino Foresters Inc., and the FAO-EU-FLEGT Programme.
Forester Victor Ivy L. Chiu, President SFFI Eastern Visayas Region, recognized both face-to-face and virtual participants and thanked everyone for participating in the forum despite the challenges of the pandemic.
Meanwhile, Forester Jose Elmer S. Bascos, DENR Region 8 Assistant Regional Director for Technical Services, expressed his pleasure and excitement on behalf of the Regional Executive Director Tirso Parian who received the Project Management Team but has to leave due to prior official commitment. “It is DENR Region 8’s wish that this rollout activity further enlightens participants on the proposed legislation, and for it to address various and dynamic concerns in the field”.
Speaking virtually, Forester Karl Villegas gave updates on the FAO-EU-FLEGT Program and clarified its relation to the SFM Bill Project. He further discussed the four agreed outcomes under the Project – the continued advocacy in the House of Representatives, raising awareness and adoption of the Bill among the stakeholders, the SFM Bill filed at the Senate, and the monitoring and evaluation of Project activities. He also mentioned that the Project was due to end by the month of November.
Forester Tommy Valdez, National Council President of the SFFI followed with a thorough presentation of the SFM Bill with emphasis on how it would amend PD 705 given significance in the country’s forestry situation that render several provisions outdated and not anymore applicable to the current situation. He also provided updates on support initiatives and the legislation process and that there remains the need for more champions for the legislation to get enacted.
During the Open Forum, Forester Crisostomo Badeo, Jr., OIC CENR Officer Palo shared his perception of the SFM Bill. “The Bill can serve as a safety net and a win-win situation to forestry by promoting critical protection and production that is science and research-based. In formulating the implementing rules and regulations (IRR), it must be imperative that a spatial cost-benefit analysis be done first before any developmental project is introduced by FMU Managers”. He also cited population growth as inevitable as well as habitual encroachment as examples to ensure strict zoning ordinances of LGUs.
Atty. Dario Suarez of PENRO Southern Leyte said that when it came to the survey of occupants in protected areas, it should be included in the Bill to know the whole population since the data being recorded is only by census and may not be accurate.
Lupig Farmer’s Association President, Allan Ladipe raised his concerns on the National Greening Program (NGP). “Giving 50 hectares to people for them to plant discourages shifting cultivation which is our main livelihood”. Forester Elmer Bascos responded by recommending a change in the strategy… from purely timber plantation to agroforestry”.
Forester Valdez ended by inviting participating organizations to support the advocacy by writing to the Senate Committee on Environment, Natural Resources, and Climate Change letters of support to the passage of the Bill. “Since the SFM Bill was approved in the House of Representatives on February 1 of this year, and transmitted to the Senate, we have yet to receive any information on it moving or progressing. If you believe that the belief is worth enacting, then we encourage you to submit letters of appeal to the concerned committee and let them learn of your situation and position”.
The Rollout with the announcement that RED Parian will be a port-rollout meeting to determine how the Region can further help.
