Forest Management Bureau of the Philippines to develop proposal on Benefit-Sharing Mechanisms of CBFM-POs for SEARCA-ASRF Funding

19 September 2017

Forest Resources Management Division, FMB-DENR headed by Mr. Orlando Panganiban presented the proposal on Benefit-Sharing Mechanism to SEARCA-ASRF PMO

QUEZON CITY, PHILIPPINES. The Forest Management Bureau (FMB) under the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) of the Philippines presented a proposal to document Benefit-Sharing Mechanisms of Community-based Forest Management (CBFM)-People's Organizations (POs) during a meeting on 15 September 2017. The ASEAN Working Group on Social Forestry (AWG-SF) Strategic Response Fund [ASRF] being managed by the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) is designed to provide Leaders and Focal Points on social forestry of the ASEAN Member States (AMS) with seed fund to enable them to respond to immediate needs or catalyze strategic actions that will address emerging issues and opportunities to which response of the AMS and AWG-SF is critical.

Mr. Orlando Panganiban, AWG-SF Leader Philippines, highlighted the importance of documenting and understanding different benefit-sharing mechanisms among CBFM-POs in the Philippines. Further, the need to identify policy and research gaps on access and benefit-sharing mechanisms was noted considering that many CBFM-POs are still experiencing poverty.

The proposed project aims to promote cross-learning among CBFM-POs and other CBFM practitioners and develop policy brief/technical bulletin consisting of a menu of benefit-sharing mechanisms which the CBFM-POs may adopt or adapt.

The meeting was attended by staff of the Forest Resources Management Division of FMB-DENR headed by Mr. Panganiban. SEARCA-ASRF was represented by Ms. Amy Lecciones, Regional Program Coordinator, and Mr. Xyrus Capiña, Project Associate.