Employment generation in smallholder upland development projects in CBFM [Community-based Forest Management] sites [in the Philippines]

Through Executive Order No. 263 issued in July 1995, DENR [Department of Environment and Natural Resources] adopted the Community-Based Forest Management (CBFM) as its banner program to ensure social equity and the sustainable development of Philippine forest resources. The operational guidelines formulated by the DENR focused on the generation of employment opportunities from various CBFM operations such as nursery establishment, forest protection and conservation activities, harvesting, processing, transporting and marketing of forestry products. Camacho et al. (UPLB-FDC) [University of the Philippines Los Baños, College, Laguna, Philippines-Forestry Development Center] documented and analyzed the CBFM-related policies, employment generation programs and the actual employment generated along the CBFM activity chain. A sample of 20 POs [peoples' organization] and 67 randomly selected household beneficiaries of the CBFM projects were studied. The major activities undertaken in CBFM projects were nursery establishment and development, forest protection and maintenance, harvesting and processing, marketing and project management. The CBFM projects employed a substantial number of PO members especially during the comprehensive site development phase in which the projects were supported with foreign funding. The major employing activities were nursery establishment and plantation establishment and development as reported by 52% and 45% of the respondents. The CBFM implementation improved the income of the household beneficiaries by almost 100%. The 2006 income of about Php 59,291 annually, improved over their benchmark income of Php 20,000 to Php 30,000 before beneficiaries were awarded the CBFM project. They were able to acquire several assets. They were also beneficiaries of other community development projects such as electrification, water service facility, barangay [village] roads and local offices. There seemed to be inequalities in access and enjoyment of resources, opportunities and material benefits. The income derived from the CBFM project revealed that 60% of the aggregate income came from the highest income range of Php 180,000 and above. The average income from this bracket was Php 348,979. Issues and concerns identified by PO members were: unstable, conflicting and changing CBFM policies, lack of viable income generating projects (IGP) to support PO activities after the termination of foreign funding support, lack of financial assistance to livelihood and/or development projects, inadequate technical and institutional support, and transparency in hiring and employment of PO members and non-members. In general, the CBFM program was able to alleviate employment problems in the community especially during the comprehensive site development phase in which PO members were employed. The benefits, however, were inequitably distributed as non-PO members were seldom hired. Barangays [villages] not covered by the CBFM were not eligible to participate in the project. Legislation may be necessary for the CBFM projects to be provided with regular budgetary allocation on statutory basis to sustain its employment-generating capacity. Policies on suspension of RUPs may need to be looked into in view of facilitating sustainable harvesting of forest products. The log ban issue may be applied on selective rather than total basis.