Chalssea Kate Echegoyen

Workers from government offices participate in a simultaneous bamboo and tree planting activity on the grounds of a former landfill area in Pitong Bukawe in San Mateo, Rizal on September 13, 2022 on the occasion of International Tree Planting Day. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File



Workers from government offices participate in a simultaneous bamboo and tree planting activity on the grounds of a former landfill area in Pitong Bukawe in San Mateo, Rizal on September 13, 2022 on the occasion of International Tree Planting Day.

Article (news)

NGO, communities push for restorative forest policies

Victoria Tulad

ABS-CBN Digital

MANILA — A non-profit organization on Friday urged the government to adopt more decolonial and restorative forest policies, citing persistent problems in the country’s forests.The Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center, with indigenous peoples’ communities, shared key findings from its research during the &quot;Forest Frontiers: State of Philippine Forest Policy in the Era of Climate Emergency&quot; forum in Quezon City.According to LRC paralegal John Ison, small local communities are further marginalized under the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ (DENR) Sustainable Forest Land Management Agreement (SFLMA).SFLMA, according to DENR, was launched in 2025 and is “designed to streamline forest management processes, signaling a new era of sustainable forest management that judiciously prioritizes both economic growth and ecological health.” The LRC recommended a thorough audit of forest tenure instruments, including compliance “based on ground truths raised by local communities.&quot;It said suspensions and revocations of the agreements &quot;should be meted out generously&quot; in the interest of public trust.&quot;The awarding of new agreements should be suspended in regions where institutional failure is to blame for mismanagement,” LRC’s executive summary read.The NGO also called for clearer forest policies that reflect climate justice and rights-based objectives.“Political structures that are historical and do not conform to the customs of indigenous peoples should be dismantled in favor of strengthening customary indigenous political structures to be free from external influence,” it added.LRC Senior Legal Fellow Ryan Roset emphasized the importance of community consultation and finding allies within the bureaucracy to support their advocacy.The forum highlighted the potential of Philippine forests as a solution to the climate emergency.LRC’s findings suggest a regenerative forest economy could support 75% of forest-based communities and increase household incomes by up to 78%. Forests can also mitigate climate impacts, reducing tropical cyclone damage by up to 40%, floods by 47%, and soil erosion by 99%.Representatives from DENR also attended the forum, assuring communities and NGOs of their support.“We are executing our legal responsibility to manage the country’s public forest land and we will continue to implement our policy of rigorous oversight, transparency, and accountability,” said James Baloto of DENR’s Forest Management Bureau.<div> </div><div>RELATED STORY:</div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/12/11/ph-gains-ground-in-reforestation-progress-since-2020-denr-0023">PH gains ground in reforestation progress since 2020 -- DENR</a></div>

A non-profit organization on Friday urged the government to adopt more decolonial and restorative forest policies, citing persistent problems in the country’s forests.

A non-profit organization on Friday urged the government to adopt more decolonial and restorative forest policies, citing persistent problems in the country’s forests.