MEMORANDUM

FOR : The Director, Strategic Communication and Initiatives Service

ATT’N : Ms. Martina Reyes-Constantino

Media Production Specialist II
Development Communication Division

FROM : The Director

SUBJECT : TALKING POINTS ON FORESTRY IN PREPARATION OF THE

DENR’S SECRETARY’S SPEECH FOR THE 48TH PHILIPPINE
BUSINESS CONFERENCE AND EXPO

DATE :

Pursuant to your request through email regarding the preparation of the DENR
Secretary’s speech for the 48th Philippine Business Conference and Expo with the theme “The
Philippines is Ready and Open for Business”, please find herewith the possible talking points on
forestry relative to the said theme, to wit:

 The Philippine Forestry Sector, together with all partners envisions “climate-resilient and
sustainably-managed watersheds and forest ecosystems, providing environmental and
economic benefits to society”. With the acknowledgement of the importance and benefits
of Sustainable Forest Management (SFM), the DENR pursues the sustainable
management of forests and forestlands, and is driven by the following goals:
1. Placing all forestlands under sustainable forest management in order to meet
demands for forest goods and ecosystem services;
2. Collaborative partnership with stakeholders to sustainably manage watersheds;
3. Strengthening the resilience of forest-dependent communities to climate change
hazards;
4. Enhancing decision-making through improved systems on information
management and monitoring and evaluation; and
5. Placing forestlands under an appropriate management arrangement.

 The vision and goals are embedded in the Philippine Master Plan for Climate Resilient
Forestry Development serves as a guide of the sector in the development and sustainable
management of forests and forestlands in the country subjected to the increase in global
temperature, more intense rainfall events, stronger typhoons, and sea level rise that will
adversely impact forest ecosystem communities. The Master Plan proposes programs and
strategies to strengthen resilience of forest ecosystems and communities to climate
change, effectively respond to demands for forest ecosystems goods and services, and
promote responsive governance.

 The DENR has been implementing the Expanded National Greening Program (eNGP)
and the Intensified Forest Protection Program to support the SFM strategies. The ENGP
is the flagship forest rehabilitation program of our government. It is beyond reforestation
as it also aims to alleviate poverty, ensure food security, stabilize the environment,
conserve biodiversity, and mitigate and adapt to the adverse effects of climate change.
 In 2020, the Philippines’ Forest cover increased by approximately 5.65% from 2010,
based on the forest cover analysis of the Department.

 Our government’s policy to fight illegal logging and associated trade was strengthened
through the Intensified Forest Protection Program (2021-2025) with emphasis on the
significance of improving forest cover in mitigating the impacts of climate change. The
menu of forest protection strategies, which serve as options for the field offices in the
preparation of their respective forest protection and law enforcement plans, ranges from
the provision of full logistics and material support to institutionalizing reforms such as
forest certification and timber legality and assurance systems.

 Along with the increase in forest cover brought by the ENGP, and strengthening the fight
against illegal logging and associated trade, we are opening economic opportunities
through the issuance of forest tenurial instruments. Forest Tenurial Instruments (CBFMA,
IFMA, SIFMA, FLGMA, FLAg, FLAgT, SLUP, etc.) are used by the government to
allocate public forests and forest lands to interested individuals, organizations or entities
and put these areas into effective and responsible onsite management. In 2020, there are
about 3,684 allocated tenurial instruments issued covering a total area of 2,404,653
hectares.

 With regard to climate change-related activities, the DENR recognizes the potential of
REDD+ to meet domestic climate change mitigation and adaptation goals. In this
connection, the country developed the Philippine National REDD-Plus Strategy (PNRPS)
in 2009, which was updated in 2017. As a dynamic document, the PNRPS needs to
reflect on the country’s efforts in implementing REDD+ from readiness to actual
grounding in demonstration, replication, and upscaling sites, as well as the advancements
in REDD+ as an offshoot of international climate change negotiations. Hence, we are
now currently undertaking the finalization of the National REDD+ Action Plan which
shall cover the period of 2022-2031.

 As we encourage more investments in forestry, there is the need to create an enabling

investment climate. As we are going for ease of doing business and efficient service
delivery, we are currently developing the Forestry Investment Portal (FIP). The portal
aims to attract investors through a more commercially competitive and economically
attractive platform. Since everything is transitioning into digital web-based platforms
now, this shall make these investment opportunities more accessible through an
accessible and convenient platform. The portal also shall provide a real-time single point
access to information and services, and can further improve monitoring results, and assist
in making sound policy decisions.

 The portal contains the following:

o Information/services – These include the list of Forestry Investment Ready Areas
(FIRAs) for development and utilization (tenured and untenured). It shall discuss
what these FIRAs are in a laymanized manner in order to market these areas to
prospect investors, and to make them more appealing.

o Linkaging to financial / credit facility - We have existing partnerships with

Development Bank of the Philippines and Land Bank of the Philippines; hence,
we shall link potential investors to these agencies on their financial / credit /
insurance programs. In fact, we have the Agroforestry Plantation Program (APP),
under DBP Circular No.15, Series of 2020 Implementing Guidelines for
Agroforestry Plantation Program, is a credit assistance program developed by the
Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) for the development, expansion,
harvesting, processing, maintenance and protection of industrial forest-based
 plantations in qualified private and public land. Sooner will have the loan
program available with Land Bank of the Philippines.

o Access to insurance on Forestry species - The FIP shall be the avenue on linking
our stakeholders specifically POs/IPOs and/or tenure holders to the Department of
Agriculture – Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (DA-PCIC) offering
insurance package for selected forest tree species within developed forest
plantations. This will address not only the welfare aspect of the after-loss event
but to stabilized production.

o We are looking also forward on the next enhancements of the FIP, which is to
have the Online Application feature of the FIP which provides transition from
manual to software-enabled forestry related applications making transactions at
ease.

 Another highlight on the investment initiatives of the forestry sector is the packaging of
twelve (12) areas under the Forestry Investment Portfolio Approach. The forestry
investment portfolio packages developed contain necessary documentary requirements,
forestry investment development plan, and draft forest tenure agreement. These packages
contain options for private investors on potential forestry investments such as plantations,
grazing, and ecotourism outside NIPAS areas. Such approach encourages public-private
forestry investments through facilitation of issuance of contract and/or reduction of
transaction costs by undertaking preparatory works relative to completing documentary
requirements and securing necessary permits and clearances.

 Finally, the Forest Management Bureau and the Mines and Geosciences Bureau are
continuously improving the Mining Forestry Program, especially on the reforestation
activities looking into possible indigenous propagules to rehabilitate previously mined
areas, and apply principles of sustainable forest management.

Should you have any further queries regarding the matters mentioned, you may opt to
contact the Forest Investment Development Division through email at fidd@fmb.denr.gov.ph or
through phone at (02) 8927-6229.

FOR INFORMATION AND CONSIDERATION, PLEASE.

TIRSO P. PARIAN, JR., CESO IV