Environment Secretary Gina Lopez has assured indigenous peoples (IP) from Mindanao, who have been holding a series of protest actions in Metro Manila, that they will not be evicted from their ancestral lands.

“No one will be evicted from your land. That is your exclusive right,” Lopez told the IPs as they continued to protest against what they claimed as continued plunder and militarization of ancestral lands across the country.

Lopez made the assurance during a meeting with the IPs at the University of the Philippines in Diliman on Tuesday. On invitation by the IP leaders and representatives, Lopez went to UP with other senior officials of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for a dialogue.

Right then and there, Lopez directed DENR Undersecretary for Field Operations Isabelo Montejo to look deeper into issues being raised by the IPs.

“I want you to investigate the various issues being raised, and address them,” Lopez told Montejo, who in turn assured the IPs of immediate assistance from the DENR.

“I will direct all our regional directors to go and dialog with you. Sila ang papupuntahin ko sa inyo, at hindi kayo ang pupunta sa kanila,” Montejo said.

Lopez also enlightened the group of the DENR’s move to engage them in the National Greening Program, the government's massive reforestation initiative that doubles as a poverty alleviation measure. “Ang gusto namin ay isama kayo sa National Greening Program upang magkaroon ng economic activities – magkaroon kayo ng pera,” she said.

The DENR chief likewise urged them to help the government in protecting the resources in their ancestral lands.

“Kailangan protektahan ninyo ang mga resources na nasa inyong ancestral lands upang manatiling malinis ang inyong ilog, pati na ang kagubatan. Dahil yan ay para tin sa inyo at sa ating bayan.”

Lopez also introduced to the minority groups Philip Camara who briefed them on biochar, which the group may engage in as an economic activity with the help of the DENR's corporate arm, the Natural Resources Development Corporation.

On the issue of militarization of ancestral lands, Secretary Lopez phoned Armed Forces Chief of Staff General Ricardo Visaya on the spot and put him on speaker phone to explain the side of the military.

Visaya explained to the IPs that the presence of military in their areas was meant “not to disturb you but to respond to the presence of the NPA (New People's Army) who are exploiting you.”

On the clamor of the IPs to stop mining in their areas, Lopez told them that she has already issued a moratorium for new mining projects, while assuring them of immediate investigation on issues allegedly being perpetrated by mining companies against the lumads and other minority groups in the country.

“No new mining. I wanna go to agriculture and eco-tourism,” she said. ###

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Published: 25 October 2016

The environment and natural resources department has identified 29 areas to transform into "income-generating sites" to improve the lives of marginalized communities through the agency's AREA MANAGEMENT PROGRAM (AMP), according to its chief, Regina Paz Lopez.

The DENR chief said that through the AMP, the agency will make these identified areas self-sustaining in a well-protected environment, and with people happy because they are free from hunger and poverty.

"The AMP will provide alternative sources of livelihood that promote the preservation of the environment and natural resources," Lopez added.

Of the 29 priority areas, 13 are located in Luzon, 6 in Visayas and 10 in Mindanao.

The AMP areas in Luzon are Chico River and Mt. Pulag in the Cordillera Administrative Region; Zambales; Laur in Pantabangan, Nueva Ecija; Sierra Madre in Cagayan; Sierra Madre in Nueva Ecija; Kaliwa Watershed in Marikina and Sierra Madre; Batangas Coastline and Verde Passage; Laguna Lake; Palawan; Sibuyan Island; Romblon; Occidential and Oriental Mindoro; and Sorsogon.

The priority areas in Visayas are the provinces of Guimaras, Antique, Samar, Bohol and Cebu, and the city of Iloilo.

Saranggani, Caraga-Cantilan, South Upi, Marilog, Mt. Hamiguitan/Mati, Talaingog in Davao del Norte, Rajah Buayan, Dinagat Island, Tawi-Tawi, and Lanao del Sur make up the areas in Mindanao.

The areas will be evaluated based on available resources, as well as needs and requirements, which will become the basis in determining possible livelihood opportunities similar to those in established ecotourism zones like the La Mesa Ecopark in Quezon City, and Ugong Rock and Iwahig Firefly Watching in Puerto Princesa, Palawan.

Following the convergence model, the civil society, academe, business sector, concerned government agencies and the community will be brought together to help build the model development areas.

Among the possible livelihood activities to be implemented in these areas are massive tree planting including hardwood and fruit trees; coffee processing and trading; bamboo propagation; manufacture of woodcraft from gemelina lumber and furniture from bamboo; and tiger grass farming and soft broom production. ###

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Published: 20 October 2016

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is hosting the first ever regional workshop on social forestry and its potential to climate change mitigation and adaptation in Southeast Asia on October 20-21 at Bayleaf Hotel in Manila.

The two-day workshop brings together some 50 forestry experts and policymakers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to map out short- and long-term actions on social forestry as a major strategy to help member-countries meet their respective nationally determined contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.

The initiative builds on the recognition in the Paris Agreement of the important role of forests to achieve real reduction in the global emission of greenhouse gases in the short and long term.

The theme for the 1st ASEAN Forestry Working Group Workshop on Social Forestry and NDCs is "Operationalizing the Paris Agreement towards Developing ASEAN Guidelines to Strengthen Social Forestry Integration in NDCs Planning in ASEAN."

Among the speakers during the meeting are: Dr. Pham Quang Minh of the ASEAN Secretariat on “ASEAN Vision on Food, Agriculture and Forests – Perspectives on Linking Social Forestry and Climate Change”; Dr. Maria Brockhaus of Center for International Forestry Research on “Framework on Forestry and Climate Change”; Dr. Doris Capistrano of ASEAN Social Forestry Network on “Gains and Good Practice of Social Forestry and Contribution of Social Forestry and Climate Change Agenda.

Director Ricardo Calderon, chief of the Forest Management Bureau of DENR will speak on the “National Perspective of Linking Social Forestry and Climate Change”.

The Philippines, through the DENR, is currently the chair of the ASEAN Working Group on Social Forestry.

The workshop aims to further strengthen the contributions of social forestry to regional climate change plans and the NDCs of respective ASEAN nations.

According to the Center for People and Forests of the Regional Community Forestry Training Center for Asia and the Pacific or RECOFTC, forest areas placed under social forestry schemes in the ASEAN only cover 15 million hectares or roughly 3.5 percent of the region's total forestland area of 434 million hectares in 2013.

The center is an international non-profit organization that focuses on capacity building for community forestry in the Asia-Pacific region.

In its report, the center cited the Philippines and Vietnam as having the biggest contributions to social forestry at 26.12 percent and 25.08 percent, respectively.

Other countries cited in the report were Thailand with 2.23 percent; Cambodia, 1.8 percent; Myanmar, 0.13 percent; and Indonesia, 0.11 percent.

Social forestry as a national forestry conservation in the Philippines traces its roots in 1982 with the issuance of Letter of Instruction No. 1260, which consolidated three of the government's upland conservation initiatives (Communal Tree Farming, Forest Occupancy Management, and Family Approach to Reforestation) into one comprehensive program called Integrated Social Forestry Program (ISFP).

ISFP was designed to provide security of tenure to forest occupants through a 25-year Certificate of Stewardship Contract or Certificate of Forest Stewardship Agreement, and enhance the capability of farmer-beneficiaries to sustain the economic productivity and ecological stability of their settled lands.

In 1995, then President Fidel Ramos issued Executive Order No. 263 adopting Community-Based Forest Management (CBFM) as a national strategy to achieve sustainable forestry and social justice with social forestry scheme as a key framework to implement the program.

CBFM was premised on the principle of "people first and sustainable forestry will follow."

To date, a total of 1.6 million hectares of forestland are being managed by 1,884 people's organizations granted with 25-year CBFM agreements, which is renewable for another 25 years.

Of the total number of people's organizations benefitting from CBFM, 892 have enrolled their areas in the National Greening Program, the government's massive reforestation program that doubles as an anti-poverty measure. ###

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Published: 20 October 2016

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has recognized nine business establishments and two individuals for their exemplary performance under the agency's Philippine Chiller Energy Efficiency Project (PCEEP) and the Philippine Environment Partnership Program (PEPP).

One of the awardees -- the Leyte-based EDC Green Core Geothermal Inc. -- was given the DENR's Official Seal of Approval in recognition of its efforts to incorporate green policies across its business operations to help protect the environment.

This year's PCEEP excellence awards were handed out to Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino/Cofely Philippines and The Peninsula Manila. The Ayala-owned Trinoma Malls in Quezon City, SM City Iloilo, Bank of the Philippine Islands-Buendia Center in Makati City, and the International School Manila in Taguig City received plaques of recognition; while Manila Pavillion got a certificate of recognition.

A special citation was conferred on Stellar Equipment and Machinery Inc., the exclusive distributor and retailer of Johnson Controls building efficiency systems and York air conditioning systems in the country.

The DENR also recognized Trinoma Malls for having the "highest greenhouse reduction" for 2015.

Engr. Vincent Lazaro of Waterfront Cebu Hotel and Casino and Engr. Karsten Carlo Pica of Cofely Philippines shared the award for Best Chiller Management of the Year.

The DENR lauded the awardees for their strong commitment to protect the environment and the ozone layer by implementing environmentally sustainable practices and meeting eco-friendly standards.

The agency also expressed hope the awardees will inspire other businesses and individuals to pursue environmental excellence, strive for energy self-sufficiency, and provide the public with cleaner and more environmentally sustainable means of living.

Initiated by the World Bank-Global Environment Facility, the PCEEP provides technical and financial assistance to businesses to allow them to replace old chillers with new ones that are energy-efficient and free from ozone-depleting substances in order to protect the ozone layer and reduce greenhouse emissions.

At the end of the project on Jan. 1, 2017, the PCEEP is expected to have replaced 30,649 tons of refrigeration, reduced 5,700 kilos of ozone-depleting potentials, generated at least 124.7 gigawatt hours in electricity savings, abated 10 megawatt demand, and reduced 62,400 tons of greenhouse gases.

The PEPP, on the other hand, is a program that aims to promote the adoption of pollution prevention and cleaner production processes among business establishments. It also provides assistance to other businesses, particularly small and medium enterprises or SMEs in cleaning up their production processes to prevent pollution.

EDC Green Core Geothermal Inc. is this year's lone recipient of the DENR's Official Seal of Approval under "Track 1" category of PEPP.

Track 1 industries are recognized for their initiatives that go beyond compliance, and are driven to improve their performance with competitiveness, image and supply chain requirements.

Recipients of the DENR's approval seal have undergone a series of evaluation, including validation of documentary requirements and site inspection conducted by the EMB's regional offices and members of the PEPP Technical Evaluation Committee.

To qualify, a company must have no pending administrative case with the Pollution Adjudication Board within three years prior to the date of application. It should also comply with all applicable environmental laws and have been proven to show superior environmental performance.

Industries awarded with the DENR seal enjoy relaxed requirements for submission of reports, longer validity of permits and simplified procedures in securing environmental compliance certificate or ECC for expansion projects. The seal is valid for one year. ###

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Published: 18 October 2016

The man in charge with overseeing happiness in the tiny Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan is coming to the Philippines on October 17 to spread the word about gross national happiness (GNH), an alternative indicator of a country's economic and social well-being.

Saamdu Chetri, head of Bhutan's GNH Centre, has been invited by Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Gina Lopez to conduct a series of lectures aimed at inspiring Filipinos to find a balance between materialistic and non-materialistic aspects of life, and other factors that are vital to human happiness.

Lopez said Chetri will be in the country on October 18-26 to conduct lectures in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

A strong believer of GNH, Lopez said she envisions the Philippines as a country whose citizens give great value to the environment in the pursuit of economic development.

“We are changing the paradigm of development from the Gross National Product (GDP) to GNH. And, this is the first time that we are really taking a serious look of making happiness a barometer of development," Lopez said.

GNH aims to measure quality of life in more holistic terms than in the standard and monetary-related gross domestic product (GDP), striking a balance between spiritual and material aspect of life.

According to her, GNH is a more of a human development approach rather than a material approach.

The target audience for the lectures includes representatives of people's organizations, indigenous peoples, civil society and local government units from 29 priority areas earlier identified by Lopez as models for sustainable development. Also to be invited are members of the academe, Senate and media.

The first lecture will be held on October 18 at the Ateneo de Davao University in Davao City. The succeeding lectures will be held on October 20 at the University of San Carlos in Cebu City, on October 22 at the Ateneo de Manila University and on October 24 at the University of the Philippines Diliman, both in Quezon City.

On October 21, Chetri will hold a lecture for members of the media on at the DENR central office in Quezon City.

Lopez expressed hopes the lectures will lead to the crafting of an action plan by leaders of various sectors and organizations in the priority areas based on the principles of GNH.

She was also expecting to generate commitment and partnership with different stakeholders in pursuing GNH.

As far as the DENR is concerned, Lopez said the agency aims to harmonize and integrate GNH in all its programs and projects.

GNH was coined in 1972 by Bhutan's former King Jigme Singye Wangchuck.

Since then, Bhutan has measured its prosperity through formal principles of GNH instead of relying on GDP.

That was to be measured by its people's sense of being well-governed, their relationship with the environment, satisfaction with the pace of economic development, and a sense of cultural and national belonging. ###

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Published: 15 October 2016