Timber deregulation policy for Mindanao pushed

DAVAO CITY – Mindanao tree farmers called on the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to implement throughout Mindanao an innovative documentation procedure that will allow easier and more efficient harvest and transport of timber products from private lands.

Since its implementation in the CARAGA region, the new procedure has eliminated bureaucratic processes of government agencies, stopped the practice of using fake transport documents, and reduced the processing time for harvest and transport permits.

It also has expedited the documen—tation of more than 200,000 cubic meters of timber products and benefited more than 1,000 farmers in the CARAGA.

In an open letter addressed to Environ—ment and Natural Resources Secretary Elisea Gozun, tree farmers urge the DENR to formally adopt the operating guide—lines for easier and more effective island-wide implementation of the procedure. In this manner, there will be a revival of private sector interest in tree farming and encourage more investments in timber production and wood processing.

The stream-lined documentation procedure was pilot tested in the CARAGA region in September 2002 by the CARAGA Federation of Tree Farmers and Developers, Inc. (CFTFDI). Because of its success, DENR Undersecretary Renator de Rueda ordered the agency’s other five Mindanao regional field offices to "adopt the policy of deregulation," thus paving the way for the procedure’s Mindanao-wide implementation.

Industry experts have described the documentation procedure as a "major policy win" for the tree farming industry, as it is a direct result of recommendations made during the 2002 National Tree Farmers Congress. The Congress urged government to clarify its regulation pertaining to the harvesting, transporting, and trading of timber products in privately-owned lands.

Alfonso Magbanua, executive director of Trees Mindanao, hailed the documentation procedure "as a major paradigm shift that will reinvigorate private sector interest in tree farming." TREES Mindanao is a producer association being supported by the USAID-funded Growth With Equity in Mindanao (GEM) Program.

"The procedure’s implementation is definitely a strong indication of the administration’s desire to create a more conducive policy environment for the expansion of the tree farming industry," according to Magbanua.

Magbanua underscored the tree farming industry’s need to develop a common framework of action to effectively push forward its agenda for development. "The industry shows so much potential. Industry must therefore have a unified voice if it wants to succeed in its future advocacy efforts."

For his part, Gregorio Mitchao, CFTFDI president, said tree farmers in CARAGA "feel more empowered since the procedure’s implementation. This approach is widely accepted and followed by tree farmers., foresters, and traders."

Mitchao said that the documentation procedure not only recognized tree farmers for their significant contribution to the country but more importantly, provided farmers more opportunities to increase their incomes.

He said that before the procedure’s implementation, a CARAGA tree farmer earned about P1,000 – P1,400 per cubic meter of timbers sold. "This was due to the conservative regulatory practice of forestry law enforcers," he explained.

With the new procedure, however, tree farmers can now earn from P1,280 up to P1,800 per cubic meter, a 28% increase from their previous earnings. He added that tree farmers have also been able to participate in activities designed to improve their skills in organizational management and in development and legislative-related advocacy work.

At the recent 2nd Mindanao Tree Farmers’ Congress, Dr. Charles Feibel, chief of party of the GEM Program, lauded the documentation procedure’s successful implementation but underscored the need to preserve the procedure’s integrity to ensure that deregulation does not lead to abuses.

"The integrity of the system must be beyond question. Measures should therefore be in place to ensure that the system is transparent, efficient, and free from any illicit activity," Dr. Feibel said.

He noted that marketing still remains a major concern for the industry, saying that "While deregulation has removed some of the barriers in the movement of timber products, tree farmers [continue] to face low prices for their product."

To address this problem, Dr. Feibel recommended that tree farmers focus more on marketing systems, market niches, efficiency and productivity, and increasing private sector investment.

"Together, we can help bring broad-based accelerated economic growth to Mindanao and make Mindanao the center of a vibrant and profitable forest industry," Dr. Fiebel concluded.