1) Based on a field investigation conducted in 2004 headed by the Forest

Management Bureau ofthe Department ofEnvirorunent and Natural Resources, it

was observed by the investigators that the DENR''s Usufruct Program had caused
"tremendous influence to the kaingin activities" in the watershed . They even
likened the Usufruct Program as the "spark-plug" that set off widespread kaingin .
It was even concluded by the investigators that this program triggeredthe
invasion of informal settler cultivators to the forest.

a. ' What is thestatus ofthis Usufruct Program which was approved by

DENR Secretary Cerrilles in 2000`

b.' Owing to problems attributed to this program, what is the prospect

for this program? Will it still be continued?

NOTE: Usufruct Program was intended to encourage DENR employees to plant'

fruit bearing trees to the open (pocket) spaces ofthe Ipo Watershed reservation .

2) Ipo Watershed is said to supply 12% of all surface water supply of Metro Manila.
If the ability of this watershed to provide clean water is compromised, we can
expect a rise in the cost ofwater as well as disruptions in supply. This situation
usually impacts the poor and marginalized the most.

The two biggest threats to Ipo Watershed are illegal logging and the proliferation
of illegal settlers within the watershed:

May we know the strategy that the Department intends to use in addressing
these two threats?

What concrete actions can we expect from the Department' to address the
problem of continued smuggling out of cut logs from the watershed?

3). Who has clear jurisdiction over the protection of Ipo Forest and watershed
reservation?

What role does MWSS, Manila Water and Maynilad have in the'protection,
management and rehabilitation ofthis critical common facility?

Note:' Angat Watershed is under the stewardship ofNapocor, while the Forest of
Subic is under the stewardship of SBMA. Presently,DENR handles the
management, protection and rehabilitation of Ipo Watershed since 1997 . As for
MWSS who used to administer the watershed, after RA 8041 (Water Crisis Act of
1995), its obligations towards the watershed in terms ofmanagement, protection,
sustainable development and rehabilitation were diluted owing to the fact that
these obligations were not clearly defined in the Concession Agreement.
 Republic ofthe Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

HON. CARMENCITA O. REYES Member:

Lone District, Marinduque Accounts
Vice-Chairman, Appropriations Basic Education
Vice-Chairman, Southern Tagalog Higher Education
Games and Amusement
08 October 2008 Housing and Urban Development
Women

HON. ALVIN SANDOVAL

Representative, Lone District of Malabon City-Navotas City
N-304 House of Representatives
Batasan Hills, Quezon City

Dear Rep . Sandoval :

Warmest Marinduque greetings!

I write with regard to the issue your Honor raised on the Ipo Watershed, specifically on the
strategy of the DENR in addressing the problems : of illegal logging and illegal settlers . Please
find attached a copy of the DENR Action Plan for the Protection of Ipo Watershed Against
Threat of Forest Destructions . I hope said document contains sufficient information on the
matter, to help you better evaluate and: facilitate the approval of the DENR'Proposed Budget
in Plenary.

On your other queries, additional materials are forthcoming from the DENR.

In case your Honor has some clarifications, or if you wish to raise some other question/s,
please inform my office in writing or call us prior to Plenary ; my staff will be coordinating
with the DENR so the Department can respond the soonest possible time.

Thank you very much. With all good wishes

Suite 109 House of Representatives Poblacion, Boac

Batman Complex, Quezon City Tel, ; (042)332-2010'
Tel . : 931-6427 ; 931-50-01 Loc . 7210
Cancelled last July 18, 2004 with 68 usufructuaries with the total area of 153,618
hectares.
 Oct. . 09 2001 05 :D4HP1 P1

Answer to Question #2

On the proliferation of itlegal set'b = On June 25, 2008, a Salugnayan was

conducted at lpo dam with most of the stakeholders in afendance It was made
clear by RED Regidof M- de Leon to the illegal settlers that teir entry into the
area is illegal. Only the native Dus ts and the tenured migrants will be
allowed to stay on site after cornplying with the requirements of RA 7886 .

The foregoing actions whedaer considered as hard or soft approach have been
initiated by the DENR. Unlike the NAP.OCOR who satisfactorily manages and
control the Angat Watershed in the u r shieam, our co-manager -- MWSS and
sits concessionaries Seem not to be interested in investing or Oowing back some
of its enormous pro-fits to protect and perpeh.rate the benefits and services
provided by its resource base --the Ipo Dam and Watershed

While the threat of forest destrucfion (timber poaching, kaingin, charcoal making,
etc) is evident within the watershed due to expansivrderxtry of informal settlers,
the DENR has not ceased in its role of protecting - forest resources . From
2007 to present, this Office conducted eeven (11) operations within lpo
watei 51 iuJ with th6 awinlanoo of the Philippine Army r---aling to the seizure of
2,766 bd . ft. of illegally sourred lumber five (5) conveyarxes, the dismantling of
two (20 charcoal kilns, and filing of two (2) Case against four (4) persons for
violations of Sec. 68, PD 705 as arnerxW_

Our forest protection operatives frxfs difficutties in launcN~ orations because

of the inaccessibility of the area, the scarcity of funds and the non-availability of
patrol boat to be used witiain the Ilpo River_ Nevertheless, the assistance given by
the Philippine Army in term of security has sustained our operations .

To further address the issue and to carne-up with a joint effcxt with MWSS and its
two (2) water concessionaires whose operations are sustained by the said
watershed, our technical personnel lamed by RTD for Forestry Sofio S.
Quintana had coordinated with the MWSS thrna.gh the Deputy Administrator for
Operations Leonor C_ Clews on Cktober 2, 2008 for their commitments towards
the protection and rehabilA of the watershed joints agreed to implement
immediate and long tears me esfsohAiom as follows,
MR ORED FRX Na : 04253046 0M 07 2000 0:3'52AM P3

ACTION PLAN F40R THE PROTECTION OF IPO WATERSHED

AGAINST THREAT OF FOREST DESTRUCTIONS

inus: 1 ' RESPONSIBLE 1

FRAME PERSONIGROUP ii REMARKS
I. IM MEDIATE
PLANS
1 . Adopt an ID sys*m at October2OO8 MWS-S-Cornmon 1 To determine the
lpo Gate Purpose Facility I entry of new
migrants/settlers
2 . Regulate ft October- DENR 06"MUSK To determFn-e'
Operations of Biancas I Nov. 2008 CPF incidence of oil
smwpojlution; to
detinthe
erme use
of Banca in Megal
I transpri . . ---
3 assess cuawt I rk*4WQ r- MW-':-&CPF To determine if
security Nov- 2-um current security
ar-rangermnsewif q u ate
1 efforts are ~!dtg~
: 4. ACqu1onc9pw#A To be used in patrol
j of the rivericreek ;
1 haul seized forest
products
5. 1 nventory of *eWem C%IOW- VVVSS-QEAR To determine the
0m. 2009 actual number of

serve as basis in
the future course of
action.
6 . Finalize ne SCAA I October- NPC-M 1NS8-DEAR- 'I To augment security
(Special AFGQ Nov. 15, 20M PA farces of MWSS
and forest angers
of DENT
~ If. LONG TERM PLANS

7. Fenong of the Ix ? CY 2009 MWSS and To deter entry of

Perimeter and beyond I concQssionanes- illegal settlers
EYAWn and cry 20OR VNVSXNCIP- To protect the
Resehement of lifiblef and beyond -DF-NR-LGU integrity of the Ipo
Qcc--upants Norzagaray Watershed
Resources-
9- install rornote contioNed CY 2009 MWSS and
surveillance intern and beyon<1 concessionaries

Enclosed is tiae V"five Cow AANp & lea WMaKed-

FOR INFORIVATIOWCONSIDERATION
Answer to Question # 3

Since its proclamation as a watershed forest reserve in 1968, the

MWSS and DENR did not forge any terms of engagement (e .g. MQU
or MOA) on how to manage, protect and develop the lpo_ This was
aggravated by the privatization in 7997 when Manila Water Company,
Inc. (Ayala group) and Mayndad Water (MVP-PLDT/Smart & Consunji
group) came into the pktire.

There was no clear instbutional arrangement to the management

and development of the water resource. What is distinctly clear and is
public knowledge is that water resource of !po is the bread and
butter of MWSS and its concessionaires. They are the beneficial end
users of the raw water (3_2f3 4iters1day) tttat flows into La Mesa-Balara
then cleansed and soled to the 15 million denizens of Mega-Manila
and suburbs.
As for MWSS who used to administer the watershed, after RA 8041
(Water Crisis Act of 7996); its obligations towards the watershed in
terms of management* protection, sustainable development and
rehabilitation were diluted owing try the fact that these obligations
were not clearly defined in the Gormssion Agreement: