Philippines

A 2003 World Bank study, "Governance of Natural Resources in the Philippines," analyzed natural resources management and governance in the Philippines. It assessed sector... Show More + policies, particularly property rights, institutions, and financing mechanisms as well as program implementation. The study concluded that implementation failures in the Department arose from: (a) Unclear institutional mandates between national and local governments; (b) Lack of sustained financing at the national level and limited generation of revenues at the local level for natural resources management; (c) Protracted procedures in the issuance of forestry tenure instruments and difficulties in the enforcement of provisions of agreements; (d) Lack of equivalent tenure instruments for coastal waters and resources; (e) Administrative constraints, such as inadequate funds and personnel to carry out sustainable natural resources management; and, (f) Insufficient capacity, accountability and transparency in public and private institutions responsible for natural resources management. Because the Governance study stopped short of proposing a way forward, this follow-on activity was designed to develop an actionable follow-on plan that could be translated into short-term to medium-term investments. This follow-on study had the following specific objectives: (a) A Policy Review of the various legislations, such as acts and executive orders that govern the management of resources; and (b) An Institutional Environment Review. Activities to promote integrated community-based watershed management would focus on developing management plans for the major watersheds; strengthening institutional arrangements; providing incentives for good governance; generating adequate funding for river basin management; reclassifying forestlands and taking into account the rights of indigenous people; developing a land use policy and preparing land use mapping; and consolidating all databases and lessons learned. Activities are also proposed to fully develop integrated coastal zones management and to promote community-based protected area management. Show Less -