Project benefits, land, and land tenure of upland Community Based Forest Management Program implementers in Sicopong Watershed, Philippines

Considering the land, land tenure, and the project benefits received by the 116 respondents who are members of the People's Organization in relation to the objectives of Community Based Forest Management Program, i.e., sustainable forest management and upliftment of the socio-economic status of the beneficiaries, the study showed benefits provided by the project comes in environmental and economic forms. More than 2,000 ha of forest tree and agroforestry plantations were established. For forest tree plantation however, the government has yet to allow the People's Organization to conduct at least thinning activity on their plantations. On the other hand, the economy of the community especially the members of the People's Organization improved at least during the project funded period. In the analysis of data, it was found that those with bigger land claims and security of tenure have more economic benefits during and after the project especially when harvesting commence. While many studies focus on the members, the study also showed the differences among the members and how each membership types allocate their lands. Based from the total respondents, the average land allocated for the project is 2.3 ha, the average land for food and commercial production is 2.0 ha, and that the average total land claim is 4.2 ha. Around 27% of the total members (2003 membership data) have individual land tenure through Certificate of Stewardship Contracts issued during the Integrated Social Forestry Program period roughly 10% have Memorandum of Agreement with the PO because they allowed their area to be developed under the project. With the present PO situation, the remaining majority of the PO members comprising 63% based on 2003 membership data that could not have individual land tenure security because they do not have lands developed under the project is in the brink of moving away from the PO.