Presented by Dolores Valdesco, from the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office of Davao Oriental (Philippines) at the 7th Conference of the ASEAN Working Group on Social Forestry (AWG-SF) in Chiang Mai (Thailand), June 12-16, 2017.

1. REDD+ EXPERIENCE
Province of Davao Oriental,
Philippines

2. Presentation Outline
I. Location Background
a. Geographical and physical characteristics
b. Biological and ecological characteristics
c. Social and economic characteristics
II. REDD+
a. Introduction & Pre-operation
b. Operation & accomplishments
III. Lessons and Innovations
IV. Conclusion

3. I. LOCATION BACKGROUND

4. LOCATION: Philippines in the World

6. DAVAO
ORIENTAL in
Region XI of
Mindanao,
Philippines

7. POLITICAL
MAP OF
DAVAO
ORIENTAL

8. LAND
CLASSIFICATION
Land Class Hectares % to
Total
Forest land 315,600 61%
A&D (Agri.) 200,846 38.9%
Unclassified 5.29 1%
TOTAL 516,451.29 100%

9. Slope Level % to Total
Below 18% 31%
18 – 50% 63%
Above 50% 6%
SLOPE MAP OF
DAVAO ORIENTAL

10. ACTIVE
FAULTLINES IN
DAVAO
ORIENTAL

11. Eastern Mindanao
biodiversity corridor
Davao Oriental

12. ANCESTRAL LAND
CLAIMS/TITLED IN
DAVAO ORIENTAL

13. II. REDD+
a. Introduction of REDD+:
As a climate mitigative and adaptive strategy
adopted in the Philippines as Philippine National
REDD-Plus Strategy (PNRPS) .
Definition (per UNFCC):
Reducing Emissions from Denudation and
forest Degradation and the role of
conservation of carbon stocks, sustainable
management of forests and enhancement of
forest carbon stocks in developing countries
(the plus).

14. REDD+
Vision/Mission:
Empowering local forest managers for
- reduction of forest degradation and
deforestation
- poverty alleviation
- biodiversity conservation and
- improved governance
all thru collaborative and rights based sustainable
natural resource management (NRM) and
inclusive/participatory undertakings locally,
regionally, nationally, and internationally.

15. REDD+
- “Carbon” is its major GHG concern
- REDD+ in PNRPS applies triple C approach -
carbon, conservation/biodiversity and
communities, among others

16. REDD+
Pre-Operation steps
- Consultations in all levels and with other
stakeholders:
• Local governments
• Communities and IP Leaders
• Agencies – local and national
• Academe
• NGOs
- Institutionalization of a Multi-sectoral REDD+
Provincial Technical Working Group (PTWG)

17. REDD+ PILOT
MUNICIPALITIES
OF DAVAO
ORIENTAL

18. REDD+
b. Operation and accomplishments
- - Forest Resource Assessment in all 3 pilot
municipalities (for eco-profiling and carbon stock
information)
- Prioritizing of related projects by level
(barangay/community, municipal, provincial)
• ADSDPP for IPs with CADT
• Forest-friendly livelihood (abaca processing)
• Mun. FLUP formulation and adoption
• 4-component province-wide project (Top-Bottom
Natural Resources Management, Biodiversity
Conservation and Carbon Stock Enhancement )

19. REDD+ in Davao Oriental
Components of the Provincial Project “Capacity Enhancement
for Davao Oriental Province-Wide Top-Bottom Natural
Resources Management, Biodiversity Conservation and
Carbon Stock Enhancement” :
1. Formulation & Mainstreaming of the Provincial Forest
Land Use Framework Plan
2. Formulation of the Implementing Rules and Regulations
(IRR) for the Provincial Environment Code
3. Formulation & Field-testing of an Information
Dissemination Tool for Communicating the Environment
Code and its Corresponding IRR to LGUs as Anchor of their
Respective Environmental Policies
4. Creation of Sustainable Natural Resources Management
(SNRM)-Schooled Davao Oriental Council of Tribal Elders

20. REDD+ in Davao Oriental
Towards the ending of REDD+ readiness stage (1st
Quarter of 2017)
- Came up with an agreement among the 3 REDD+
pilot LGUs, with the Provincial Government and
other entities in the PTWG for a unified Local
Conservation Area declaration for use as basis in a
corridor type of local biodiversity conservation
incorporated in the Provincial Forest Land Use
Framework Plan.

21. Post REDD+ readiness in Davao Oriental
Way Forward:
- Replicating REDD+ to other 8 LGUs of the province
- Integrating REDD+ learning with that of other climate-
related programs implemented in the province
- Further research for the entire province to go into a
corridor-type local conservation area management
- Sustain and strengthen IP involvement in community
development (operationalization of Prov’l IP Center
parallel to NCIP)
- Refocusing local land use plans to the emerging 3 land
domains: a) Public domain (forest), b) private domain
(agricultural, and c) Ancestral domain (IPs’ ancestral
lands)

22. III. LESSONS AND INNOVATIONS
• LGUs can enhance policies to upscale the level of
governance and better address actual needs of their
locality
• Rights-based, collaborative, participatory and inclusive
approach can help in attaining greater gains
• Capacity enhancement and development of all
stakeholders is necessary to address the changed
climate being faced by the most vulnerable sectors in
society – the IPs, small farmers, fisherfolks (upland and
shoreline dwellers)

23. IV. CONCLUSION
We believe REDD+ is evolving. Its application
depends on the capacity of the locals. Davao
Oriental benefits much of the REDD+ readiness
implementation.
In the face of a changed climate, having a robust
forest provides resilience to the local people.
Articulating the vision/mission of REDD+ is an
on-going process for the province, and we are
eager to collaborate with related entities for
that purpose.

24. Thank you...