Question & AnswerQ&A (DENR ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 97-04)
The DENR's primary policy objective is to promote the rehabilitation and restoration of degraded forestlands through appropriate reforestation and afforestation programs, ensure adequate supply of timber and other forest products, and promote ecologically sound, equitable, socially acceptable, and culturally appropriate forest management.
IFMA covers delineated areas of brushland and/or open and denuded forestland under the jurisdiction of the DENR designated for industrial forest plantations.
The minimum IFMA area is 500 hectares, and the maximum is 20,000 hectares. However, an IFMA holder may hold more than one IFMA but not exceeding an aggregate of 40,000 hectares.
Qualified applicants include Filipino citizens of legal age and corporations, partnerships, associations, or cooperatives duly registered under Philippine laws with at least 60% Filipino ownership and control.
Applicants must submit a Project Description (PD) or Initial Environmental Examination (IEE) and obtain an Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) from the concerned Regional Office before IFMA award.
The IFMA holder must submit a Comprehensive Development and Management Plan (CDMP) for approval, which includes an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and obtain an ECC from the DENR Secretary.
Cancellation grounds include obtaining an IFMA through fraud, violation of ECC conditions, failure to submit or comply with the CDMP, abandonment, failure to protect the IFMA area unless due to force majeure, and noncompliance with agreements with communities.
Yes, but only with prior written approval from the DENR Secretary. Conditions include at least 3 years of existence, faithful compliance by the transferor, qualified transferee, no speculation intent, assumption of obligations by the transferee, and consent of financing institutions if applicable.
They must protect IFMA areas from forest fires and destruction, prevent or arrest gully erosion, protect unique or endangered trees and wildlife, respect indigenous communities' rights, and not cut trees in protected or environmentally sensitive areas without permits.
Incentives include rights to harvest, sell, and utilize trees planted; exemption from forest charges on plantation products; permission to export harvested logs and lumber; and the ability to use IFMA and improvements as collateral for loans, subject to DENR approval.