Implementation of an Integrated Social Forestry Program (PROFEM II)

July 28, 1982

LETTER OF INSTRUCTIONS NO. 1260

WHEREAS, the concept of man's new role of stewardship over our natural resources is well-enshrined in the new Constitution of the Philippines;

WHEREAS, the mobilization of forest resources for the social and economic progress of the nation has been an existing major development strategy in support of which the government has been involved in forestry development/renewal programs such as forest ecosystem management (PROFEM),forest occupancy management (FOM),family approach to reforestation, communal tree farming, (CTF),industrial tree plantation (ITP),agro-forest farms, range management, forest industries food production programs (FIFPP);

WHEREAS, the government recognizes that among the less privileged sectors of society, the kaingineros and other occupants of forest lands could be made effective agents of the state in food production and in the rehabilitation of forest lands;

WHEREAS, in fulfillment of the government's continuing concern for the improvement of the quality of life of the kainginero and settler population it is necessary that the foregoing socially oriented programs be further expanded, strengthened, and assimilated into the national livelihood (KKK) movement; and

WHEREAS, the continuing effective implementation of the integrated social forestry programs involving both forest resource management and forest-based livelihood development will require the close cooperation and assistance of various government agencies and instrumentalities.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Republic of the Philippines do hereby order the following:

1. That the Ministry of Natural Resources together with the Ministry of Agrarian Reform, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Education and Culture, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Human Settlements, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Local Government, Ministry of Public Works and Highways, Ministry of Social Services and Development and the National Economic and Development Authority, pursuant to Executive Order No. 715, shall implement an Integrated Social Forestry Program hereafter to be known as PROFEM II for kaingineros and other occupants and communities dependent on areas classified as forest lands for their livelihood;

2. That the Ministry of Natural Resources form a Committee, constituted by the heads of the aforementioned Ministries as members and presided over by the Minister of Natural Resources as Chairman, for the purpose of planning all the necessary activities leading to the effective and vigorous implementation of PROFEM II. casia

3. That the primary roles of the aforementioned Ministries are as follows:

a) The Ministry of Natural Resources shall be primarily responsible for implementing PROFEM II. It shall identify kaingin areas to be developed into settlements, expeditiously process leasehold papers and management plans as required by PD 705, as amended, coordinate, and establish linkages with other agencies of the government to provide the target communities with the needed support for rapid development of their occupied lands;

b) The Ministry of Agrarian Reform shall determine the individual and social condition of the kaingineros and similar occupants of forest lands who deserve government assistance, motivate them to support PROFEM II, help them organize themselves and manage and maintain viable family-size agro-forest landholdings, assist in identifying suitable kaingin areas for settlement and in the establishment of organized settlement, and help prevent the introduction of feudal systems of tenure in forest lands;

c) The Ministry of Agriculture shall advise kaingineros and other PROFEM II participants on appropriate species to plant and proper soil management and conservation, provide appropriate agro-forestry technology for specific upland areas and train kaingineros and other PROFEM II participants, in livestock production; cd i

d) The Ministry of Education and Culture, shall conduct non-formal education classes emphasizing agro-forestry techniques, sewing, food preparation/processing and similar trades and crafts;

e) The Ministry of Health shall cause the establishment of health facilities and train the communities on areas of health, nutrition and sanitation;

f) The Ministry of Human Settlements shall see to it that the Kainginero settlements are provided the eleven basic needs required and oversee the participation of the target communities in the KKK movement;

g) The Ministry of Justice shall provide legal assistance to kaingineros, other forest land occupants and participants of PROFEM II, without prejudice to legal assistance extended by other government agencies;

h) The Ministry of Local Governments, as well as the autonomous government in Regions IX and XII, shall assist barangay officials in disseminating information and promoting acceptance of PROFEM II to target communities, and shall help such communities set up or improve their various community organizations, including organizations for security and for other civic development purposes;

i) The Ministry of Public Works and Highways shall provide the necessary infrastructure and facilities to implement the program;

j) The Ministry of Social Services and Development shall provide and administer social welfare programs/activities in kaingin and other forest communities; and

k) The National Economic and Development Authority, shall conduct the census of kaingineros as provided for in the preceding provisions and shall monitor and record the progress and development of PROFEM II.

4. That the Ministry of Natural Resources, Ministry of Agrarian Reform, Ministry of Local Government and the National Economic and Development Authority, pursuant to Section 52 of Presidential Decree No. 705, shall complete the census of all forest occupants including kaingineros, settlers, squatters, cultural minorities and other populations residing in public forest lands within a period of one year from the effectivity of this Letter of Instruction and thereafter submit to this office without delay the results of that census.

5. That in order to provide the stability of occupancy required in both management and forest livelihood development, and pursuant to the new policy on democratized disposition of suitable public forest lands, security of tenure shall be given to kaingineros and other deserving forest occupants in identified kaingin settlements through the granting of long term stewardship contracts on economic-sized family landholdings, the effective duration of such contracts and specific size of land farmholdings to be set as deemed appropriate by the Minister of Natural Resources, provided that, areas which are too steep for ecological and economically sound development shall not be subject to this Program; provided, further, that in accordance with the provisions of PD 705, as amended, the Minister of Natural Resources shall initially determine the best land use of identified target areas and if so necessary, cause the relocation of said deserving forest occupants to the nearest accessible government resettlement area.

6. That in the implementation of PROFEM II, the Ministry of Natural Resources shall give priority to those kaingineros and other forest land occupants who have been occupying their lands before December 31, 1981. The Ministry of Natural Resources shall also give their priority to deserving landless farmers, tillers and rural workers who may want to apply for participation in PROFEM II. cd i

7. That the Ministry of Natural Resources, being primarily responsible for implementing PROFEM II, may call upon and coordinate with all the other Ministries instructed herein for the effective implementation of PROFEM II and other Ministries, government agencies or instrumentalities or private entities, for such assistance as may be deemed necessary to carry out these instructions.

8. The Ministries and Offices tasked with the implementation of PROFEM II are hereby authorized to use any of their respective lump sum appropriations for the purposes stated herein, in accordance with section 40 of PD 1177. casia

DONE in the City of Manila, this 28th day of July, in the year of Our Lord, Nineteen Hundred and Eighty-Two.