Qualifications for Receiving a Certificate of Stewardship
- Must be a Filipino citizen.
- Must be of legal age.
- Must be the actual tiller or cultivator of the land to be allocated.
- Must be a member of the PO granted the relevant CBFM area.
- Must be willing to develop the land and participate in CBFM activities.
- Must not have a previously cancelled CS for cause.
Procedure for Issuance of Certificate of Stewardship
- Information dissemination: CENRO, in coordination with POs, LGUs, and organizations, conducts IEC activities including CS issuance procedures and recipients' rights and duties.
- Census of forest occupants: PO conducts a census of actual occupants, creating a community map detailing parcels and occupants. PO validates census results, recommends qualified applicants, and sets rights/responsibilities of CS holders in a general meeting.
- Request for CS issuance: PO submits a resolution with the census, agreed rights/responsibilities, individual applications endorsed by PO head, and a community map to the DENR via CENRO.
- Processing and issuance: CENRO prepares Stewardship Agreement and Certificate in four copies (Annex 1 format; notarization not required). For married couples, CS issued jointly. PENRO approval required. Originals and copies distributed to relevant parties; parcellary map retained at PENRO.
- Boundary marking and conflict resolution: Beneficiaries mark boundaries; boundary conflicts resolved by PO.
Transferability Conditions of the Certificate of Stewardship
- Transferee must meet qualifications under Section 2; total stewardship area of transferee doesn’t exceed 10 hectares.
- At least 50% of the CS area must be developed (crops, trees, pasture, fishpond, or other productive uses).
- Original Agreement’s terms and conditions remain effective; prior prohibition on subleasing revoked.
- Validity extends for the remaining original term.
- Transfer must be endorsed by PO officers via resolution.
- Transfer documents duly notarized.
- Transfer documents, endorsements, original CS and Agreement submitted to CENRO for issuance of new CS and Agreement in transferee’s name; originals cancelled.
- New documents forwarded to PENRO for approval per issuance procedure.
Repealing Clause
- Amends Administrative Order No. 4, series of 1991 and all other inconsistent orders, circulars, guidelines, and procedures on CS issuance and transfer.
Effectivity
- The order is effective immediately upon promulgation on June 24, 1998, signed by the DENR Secretary Victor O. Ramos.