Challenges and Needs for Effective Implementation Beyond Conventional Protected Areas

The Sixth ASEAN Heritage Parks Conference

21-24 October 2019

Pakse, Lao People’s Democratic Republic

Outline

Other effective area-based conservation measures in the Philippines

Critical Habitats (CH)

Indigenous Peoples and Community Conserved Territories and Areas (ICCA)

Local Conservation Areas (LCA)

Challenges and Needs for Effective Implementation Beyond Conventional Protected Areas

Other effective area-based conservation measures

“To this end, there is hereby established a National Integrated

Protected Areas System (NIPAS), which shall encompass ecologically

rich and unique areas and biologically important public lands that are

habitats of rare and threatened species of plants and animals,

biogeographic zones and related ecosystems, whether terrestrial,

wetland or marine, all of which shall be designated as ‘protected areas’.

The System shall recognize conservation areas and the

management regimes being implemented by local government units

(LGUs), local communities and indigenous peoples (IPs).”

-Section 2, RA No. 7586 or the National Integrated Protected Areas

System (NIPAS) Act of 1992, as amended by RA No. 11038

Areas outside protected areas under Republic Act No. 7586 that are known habitats of threatened speciesand designated as such based on scientific data taking into consideration species endemicity and/or richness, presence of man-made pressures/threatsto the survival of wildlife living in the area, among others (Rule 5.1 (ll), Joint DENR-DA-PCSD Administrative Order 2004-01)

Legal Bases:

RA No. 9147 (Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act)

DENR Memorandum Circular (DMC) No. 2007-02 (Guidelines on the Management and Establishment of Critical Habitats)

Critical Habitats

Critical Habitats

Cabusao Wetland CH

Camarines SurPhilippine Wild Duck

(Anas luzonica)Magsaysay CH for

Hawksbill Turtle

(Eretmochelys

imbrata)

Misamis OrientalCarmen CH

Agusan del NorteMarine turtles

Rafflesia

schadenbergiana

Critical Habitat,

Baungon,

Bukidnon

Adams Wildlife CH,

Ilocos Norte Philippine falconet,

Philippine brown deer,

Philippine warty pig,

Northern Luzon cloud rat,

jade vine, dipterocap

trees and other

threatened species of

flora and fauna

Malasi Tree Park and

Wildlife Sanctuary CH,

Isabela Philippine Wild Duck

(Anas luzonica) and

other waterbird species

1

2

3

4

5

6

Natural and/or modified ecosystems containing significant biodiversity values, ecological services and cultural values, voluntarily conserved by Indigenous Cultural Communities/ Indigenous Peoples through customary laws or other effective means (House Bill No. 639, House Bill No. 2281)

Legal Bases: RA No. 8371 (Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act

of 1997) RA No. 7586 (National Integrated Protected

Areas Act of 1992), as amended by RA No. 11038

Indigenous Peoples and Community Conserved Territories and Areas

Indigenous Peoples and Community Conserved Territories and Areas

ICCA Status

NumberArea

(hectares)Status

50,006 as of 2015

20 292,229 as of 2018

Sources:

Philippine ICCA Project

6th Philippine Report to the Convention on Biological Diversity

Map of Ancestral

Domain Claims in

the Philippines

Category• LCA• ICCA

Local Conservation Areas

LCA Status

Number Area (hectares) Status

63 262,267 as of

2018Source: 6th Philippine Report to the Convention on Biological

Diversity

Areas protected by Local Government Units through Local Ordinances to conserve terrestrial and marine biodiversity and natural resources

Legal Bases: RA No. 7160 (Local Government

Code of 1991) RA No. 8550 (Philippine Fisheries

Code of 1998), as amended by RA No. 10654

Threatened species habitats are within private lands/ ancestral domains, or covered by tenurialinstruments

Establishing co-management schemes

Financial sustainability to manage Critical Habitats

Challenges and Needs for Effective Implementation of Critical Habitats

Monitoring of impacts of CH establishment to the population of threatened species being conserved/protected

The establishment of Critical Habitat through DENR Administrative Order is not a permanent designation and could be changed depending on priorities

Challenges and Needs for Effective Implementation of Critical Habitats

The “old new” concept of ICCA as an approach to biodiversity and natural resources conservation is often misunderstood

The documentation and mapping of ICCAs have not been institutionalized in the concerned agencies (i.e. NCIP and DENR), as well as the implementation of activities to support them

Challenges and Needs for Effective Implementation of Indigenous Peoples and Community Conserved

Territories and Areas (ICCAs)

No clear-cut, coherent policies to support the recognition of ICCAs as an effective area-based conservation measure

Residual resistance to the notion that ICCAs are effective in the conservation of biodiversity and natural resources

Challenges and Needs for Effective Implementation of Indigenous Peoples and Community Conserved

Territories and Areas (ICCAs)

Establishment of LCA often excludes Indigenous Peoples and local communities

A systematic assessment of the effectiveness of existing marine protected areas (MPAs) has yet to be undertaken

Little information is available on how the target of 15% of coastal municipal waters in no-take MPAs (1998 Fisheries Code) was determined

Distribution of MPAs in the Philippines is not representative of marine biodiversity

Challenges and Needs for Effective Implementation of Local Conservation Areas (LCAs)

Philippine MPAs do not conform to varying size and spacing of MPAs to account for natural variation in larval dispersal distances

Philippines has over 1,000 established MPAs (PhilReefs 2008); however, a number of these are inactive

Lack of budget and/or lack of a sustainable financial mechanism for most young MPAs

In some cases a lack of gender equity or women’s empowerment

Challenges and Needs for Effective Implementation of Local Conservation Areas (LCAs)

Lack of public understanding and support of MPA objectives

Unclear hierarchy of objectives (e.g. environmental integrity/sustainability and increased catch/income)

Weak enforcement arrangements

Unclear jurisdiction, roles and accountability for the implementation of MPA

Poorly specified roles and accountability arrangements relating to implementation

Unrealistic expectations regarding the rate of biomass buildup.

Challenges and Needs for Effective Implementation of Local Conservation Areas (LCAs)

Thank you!