Question & AnswerQ&A (DENR ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 22 s. 1993)
The basic policy is to promote the protection, management, and sustainable development of natural resources within secondary/residual and old growth forests and to rehabilitate open and degraded forest lands through proper management, while also improving the socio-economic condition of poor upland and coastal communities.
The objectives include initiating community-based forest development and management within second growth upland forests and residual mangrove forests to promote social equity and prevent further degradation; protecting remaining primary forests with community help; and enhancing institutional capacity of DENR, LGUs, educational institutions, and NGOs in catalyzing community-based forest management.
An Assisting Organization (AO) is an organization contracted by DENR to assist in training and organizing local communities during the preparatory phase of the Community Forestry Program.
The CFMA is an agreement between DENR and an organized community that grants the community natural resource utilization privileges alongside responsibilities to protect, conserve, and rehabilitate natural resources for a tenure of 25 years, renewable for another 25 years.
The three phases are: (1) Pre-implementation phase, involving information dissemination, site selection, census of forest occupants, selection of AO, and orientation training; (2) Preparatory phase, which focuses on developing community capabilities including organization, planning, and livelihood development; and (3) Community management phase, where the community takes over management responsibilities with DENR assistance as the AO phases out.
Mandatory criteria include: the site not being within prohibited areas, presence of willing nearby communities, potential livelihood opportunities beyond forest extraction, and endorsement by the Municipal Development Council. Optional criteria include proximity to roads, previous community organization work, presence of AOs, adjacent protection forests, receptive local government, and adjacency to existing CFP or reforestation projects.
The initial area covered by a CFP project shall not exceed five thousand hectares (5,000 ha), although this may be increased if the community demonstrates adequate managerial capability.
The Secretary of DENR approves CFMAs for areas larger than 5,000 hectares.
Alternative livelihoods include contract reforestation, Timber Stand Improvement (TSI), Assisted Natural Regeneration (ANR), agroforestry, backyard industries, food processing, and other income-generating activities not dependent on forest product extraction.
Cost recovery is ensured by requiring the community to establish a Community Forestry Development Trust Fund into which 30% of the gross revenues from forest products sales are deposited. The Fund is used for reforestation and forest rehabilitation activities, costs associated with forestry management, and community investments after full cost recovery.
Violations may lead to imposition of fines, suspension of forest products utilization, or outright cancellation of the CFMA.
The AO assists in community organization, resource inventory, management and development planning, training, marketing, livelihood opportunities development, and consultation with the community.
The requirements include a letter from the CFMA holder requesting approval, a certified xerox copy of the certificate of registration of the organized community with a government agency, a resolution signed by two-thirds (2/3) of members authorizing the signatory to file the application, and payment of application and annual license fees.
CENROs conduct information dissemination to communities in potential sites explaining the program’s features, objectives, benefits, and responsibilities. Regional Distillation Groups organize orientation workshops using funds for information materials, ensuring wide awareness.
The census identifies all forest occupants for information, reference, and control purposes. The list is provided to local officials and posted publicly to ensure awareness and proper management.