Question & AnswerQ&A (DENR ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 30, S. 2004)
The policy of the DENR is to ensure equitable access to and sharing of benefits from natural resources development by providing opportunities for wider society participation in forest resources development, and to provide security of tenure through issuance of Socialized Industrial Forest Management Agreements (SIFMA).
The objectives are to increase supply of timber and forest products, accelerate reforestation and forest protection, conserve soil and biodiversity, generate income and livelihood for upland people, and provide equitable access to forest lands and resources.
A SIFMA is an agreement between a natural or juridical person and the DENR granting the right to develop, utilize, and manage a small tract of forest land consistently with sustainable development principles.
Grasslands, brushlands, and open and denuded forest lands under DENR jurisdiction suitable for production forest excluding those covered by NIPAS, ancestral domain claims, prior vested rights, or other legal claims unless expressly agreed upon.
For individuals or single families, 1 to 20 hectares; for associations, partnerships or cooperatives, over 20 hectares up to 500 hectares.
Filipino citizens of legal age, preferably residents of the municipality for individuals; cooperatives, associations, and partnerships with Filipino members residents of the province where the site is located and duly registered with CDA, DTI, or SEC.
Applicants previously issued forestry permits or agreements canceled for non-compliance, those with officers having derogatory records such as violations of anti-dummy laws, tax evasion, illegal logging, unauthorized transfers, or cooperative members unable to comply with terms; holders of subsisting forestry permits or contracts.
25 years renewable for another 25 years.
Provision of necessary management and financial services, prohibition on unauthorized land use conversion, pollution prevention, rehabilitation and protection, monitoring requirements, integration of gender concerns, protection of workers' rights, community development commitment, specified planting schemes with ownership of planted products by the holder, protection of steep slopes and riverbanks, and restrictions on exotic species introduction.
Failure to develop area in 3 years, being a dummy holder, unauthorized transfer, land use conversion, allowing residential building, illegal cutting of natural trees, refusal of inspection, fraud, labor law violations, violation of SIFMA provisions or forestry laws, abandonment, failure to pay fees, voluntary surrender, and public interest.