Assessment of forest land use planning process and implementation in Antipolo City, Rizal Province, Philippines

The study primarily aimed to review and compare the actual and the standard process of the forest land use plan preparation procedure in Antipolo City [Philippines]. It was also aimed to develop a simple site-level assessment tool to examine various aspects of implementation of the City's approved FLUP. It also greatly aided the discovery of the problems and constraints that ere encountered in the course of implementations. Results are recommendations of the METT would serve as guide for the LGU and DENR to input updates and improvements of the City's FLUP. The study employed a combination of secondary data gathering, key informant interviews or questionnaire assisted interviews suing 'cued recall' technique, and focusing group discussion. The formulation of FLUP in Antipolo City has been undertaken based on the FLUP planing starting with pre-planning stage, plan preparation, legitimization, and adoption until the approval of the plan, by involving the concerned stakeholders in the conduct of activities under each of the FLUP stages. The process has been judiciously followed and conducted in a participatory manner. The FLUP was partially implemented due to several constraints experienced by the LGU in the course of FLUP implementation. The constraints identified were the change of LGU administrator/leadership, administrative organizational and operational constraints, insufficient budget allocation, amnpower and technical capacity for the implementation of the plan and lack of coordination and collaboration between the lGU and the local DENR and PAMB. The Management Effectiveness Tracking Tool (METT) used in the study of the implementation and management of FLUP in Antipolo City was found to be useful and can be adopted by the LGU with similar situation. Its findings on the chosen elements assures us that the stakeholders had a high level of understanding of the FFL/PA legal status and boundary delineation. There were clarity in the objectives as set with reference to the needs of the FFL and has shown that the management plan (FLUP) was supported and was initially given adequate resources but as leadership and management changed several times some constraints in the implementation were encountered. The METT gave light to the reality that the implementation of the FLUP need improvements in human resource, as well as financial and logistical resources. The FFL/PA business of protection, conservation and development that are reflected in the implementation of policies, procedures and plans was found to be low and in need improvement. The real impact of management actions that provided an understanding to what extent management objectives have been achieved were duly noted to be lacking, largely because of issues in leadership and programs. Major recommendations for DENR and LGU as a result of this METT includes the review and updating of the city's Forest Land Use Plan; conduct re-orientation of the stakeholders; enactment of local ordinance in support to the full implementation of the City's FLUP strategies and activities; renew/strengthen ties and collaboration between LGU, DENR, PAMB and concerned stakeholders in the management and implementation of activities in the forest and forestlands of Antipolo City.