Exec hopes passing of forest land order

CEBU, Philippines- Talisay City Planning and Development Council head Christine Delfin-Homez is optimistic that the proposed Forest Land Use Plan for 2014-2018 will finally be approved by the City Council.

Homez said the document, considered as an important management plan for the city's 300-hectare timber forest land, needs the approval of the legislative body before it can be affirmed by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

"The DENR and the Local Government Unit have agreed, through memorandum of agreement, to jointly prepare, legitimize and approve a FLUP that shall serve as the core document to address the issues of open access to the city's forest and forestlands," the resolution of the City Development Council read.

According to Homez, the FLUP will also serve as the city's plan to improve its forest resources so as to make them more productive and to provide socio-economic benefits to upland occupants.

Section 16 of Chapter 2 of the Local Government Code of 1991 or R.A. 7160 states that every local government unit shall ensure and support, among other things, the preservation and enrichment of culture, promote health and safety, enhance the right of the people to a balanced ecology, encourage and support all other initiatives to ensure and preserve the comfort and convenience of their inhabitants.

The barangays, from which all data will be sourced, are the primary stakeholders and beneficiaries of FLUP's implementation.

The DENR has the technical expertise in the preparation, establishment and implementation of an FLUP and can provide direction for Talisay in managing the city's forests and forest lands in the context of sustainable forest management, biodiversity management, disaster risk reduction and management, climate change adaptation, as well as the reduction of emissions from deforestation and forest degradation.

The proposed FLUP was prepared by the stakeholders and included barangay officials, non-government organizations and people's organizations.