CoDe REDD Philippines:PRO-COMMUNITY REDD MOVEMENT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) October 2, 2009 --

CoDe REDD Philippines completed consultative workshops and meetings in various areas of the Philippines, among peoples’ organizations, local government units, national agencies, and civil society organizations. Talking about the results of these efforts in a cyber-discussion, Ms. Crissy Guerrero of NTFP-EP said “We should bring our concerns to reach the national and international grounds. Any REDD proposal without considering the local communities will fail.” Ms. Guerrero emphasized that the present economic-biophysical-traditional relationship of forests and indigenous peoples and local communities is key to achieve sustainable forest management. To make this work, governments should be serious in having participatory and accountable governance in place.

Why involve the communities? In the Philippines alone, millions of hectares of forestlands lie within community-based forest management areas and ancestral domain territories. These are similarly situated with supposedly protected areas---lack of financing mechanisms for the sustainable development of forest peoples, for the protection of ecosystem services and for biodiversity conservation. In addition, land conversion to agricultural activities, expansion of human settlements, and extractive industries such as logging and mining have been contributing to the reduction of natural forests. Completing this unfortunate state is the ineffective enforcement of forestry laws and policies.

Forester Romeo T. Acosta has stated that there should be actions to ensure that communities are not unreasonably displaced; their livelihoods, or their traditional relationships with forests, are not unduly curtailed; the benefits of REDD should filter down to them.

Atty. Gerthie Mayo-Anda, also from CoDe REDD brought up the issue on forestlands conversion. According to Anda, purposive actions should significantly reduce if not eliminate, illegal logging, and associated trade in all areas, even those covered by permits. These measures will definitely touch on ownership, as to who owns the forests, and therefore, who owns the carbon.

As regards, forests growth, Forester Marlea P. Munez, another CoDe REDD participant, pointed out the so called “perverse incentives”. Instead of promoting natural regeneration of forests through the process of natural succession and direct participation of indigenous peoples and local communities, there is more interest in converting inadequately-stocked forests or degraded forests to tree plantations, thus sacrificing biodiversity integrity. Acosta added here that drivers of deforestation be given due attention as well, particularly the conversion of forested lands to bioenergy crops such as oil palm, Jathropa, coconut, and sugar cane; opening up new roads and improving existing ones .

Ms. Guerrero rounded up the discussion by saying that CoDe REDD is an alarm that everyone should act on.