Question & AnswerQ&A (DENR DEPARTMENT ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 96-29)
The policies include protecting the right to a healthful environment, improving socio-economic conditions through social justice and sustainable forest resource use, and respecting the rights of indigenous peoples to their ancestral domains with consideration of their customs and traditions.
Ancestral Domains are all lands and natural resources occupied and possessed by indigenous cultural communities or their ancestors communally or individually in accordance with their customs and traditions since time immemorial, including adjacent areas necessary for their economic, social and cultural welfare.
Local communities represented by people's organizations (POs) composed of Filipino citizens who either till the land, traditionally utilize resources for livelihood, or reside within or adjacent to the areas to be awarded.
POs can occupy, use, and develop forestlands under CBFMA, are exempt from rent and some forest charges, must be consulted on government projects, have preferential access to DENR assistance, receive income from sustainable resource use, and can enter contracts consistent with the resource management framework.
The four stages are: Preparatory Stage (education, establishing linkages, area identification), PO Formation and Diagnostic Stage (community organizing, application), Planning Stage (preparation of CRMF, RUP, and AWPs), and Implementation Stage (organizational skills building, monitoring, and sustaining activities).
The instruments include Community Based Forest Management Agreement (CBFMA), Certificate of Stewardship Contract (CSC), and for indigenous communities, Certificate of Ancestral Domain Claim-CBFMA and Certificate of Ancestral Land Claim-CBFMA.
CSCs/CBFMAs may be suspended for six months to one year for non-compliance after six months of notification; continued violations can lead to cancellation or revocation, with DENR entitled to pursue other civil and criminal remedies.
Approval depends on area size; for example, the CENRO approves CSCs up to 5 hectares, PENRO approves CBFMAs up to 5,000 hectares, with higher authorities including RED, Undersecretary for Field Operations, or Secretary approving larger areas.
It provides overall guidance and policy direction, reviews and approves action plans, secures inter-agency support, sources funds, and may create subcommittees at regional and provincial levels.