PROJECT LAUNCHING CEREMONY

    New Zealand Ambassador David Pine underscores the "Enhancing Natural Resources Management through Enterprise Development in the Philippines" project's significance in the poverty alleviation thrust of the Philippine government as he takes note of the special partnership among the NZAID, FAO and the DENR in its implementation during the project launch ceremony.

         Teach a man how to fish and your help extends for a lifetime. The same can be said for those who live in the uplands dependent on forest resources for subsistence. They, who turn to unsustainable forest practices because of sheer poverty, setting a vicious cycle of increased misery in the face of greater degradation of the country's forests.

         Realizing this seemingly never-ending problem, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) recently launched through the Foreign-Assisted Special Project Office (FASPO) and the Forest Management Bureau (FMB) a project entitled "Enhancing Natural Resources Management through Enterprise Development in the Philippines." It is funded by the New Zealand Agency for International Development (NZAID) through the United Nation's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in the amount of US$302,399. The three-year project that primarily targets the upland population now estimated to be 20 million will be implemented by the FMB through a Project Management Team chaired by Assistant Director Neria A. Andin with Dr. Gwendolyn Bambalan as vice-chair.

         The Project is a stocktaking effort anchored on ecosystem approach and espouses complementation of initiatives from various stakeholders: other government agencies (OGAS), local government units (LGUS), nongovernmental organizations (NGOS), the private sector and civil society, among others. It offers a menu of sustainable livelihood options and other CBFM-generated practices. It is an offshoot of the Community Livelihood Assistance Program (CLASP) initiated in 2003 to provide livelihood opportunities to Peoples' Organizations involved in the Community-based Forest Management (CBFM) Program. It focuses on government's twin goals of poverty alleviation and environmental protection in upland forest, coastal, and lowland urban areas where communities will be the main beneficiaries. It has four components: capacity building, community enterprise development, guidebook development, and policy review and formulation.

         The communities through POs alongside other stakeholders such as LGUs, NGOs as well as the DENR staff will undergo trainings on enterprise development with emphasis on resource mobilization, feasibility studies preparation, record keeping and management after which these competencies will all be put to use in six selected sites to ensure sustainability of business endeavors.

         Another vital activity is the field testing of the ENR Community Enterprise Development Guidebook, a compilation of important lessons and experiences gained from the implementation of CLASP. It has yet to undergo pilot testing although it was already presented to stakeholders in the spirit of participatory management. As such, the project will also facilitate the review, refinement and formulation of forest policies that support and respond to enterprise development efforts.

         The launching ceremony which was held at the DENR Social Hall last July 23, 2008 was attended by New Zealand Ambassador, His Excellency David Pine, FAO Representative in the Philippines, Mr. Kazuyuki Tsurumi, Patrice Tan, NZAID Manager, and DENR officials led by Undersecretary Atty. May Ann Lucille Sering who delivered the speech on behalf of Secretary Jose L. Atienza. The Secretary's message zeroes in on the importance of the project in supporting the priority program of President Gloria Arroyo on poverty alleviation and the opportunity it presents in "forging genuine partnerships on sustainable forest management".

         FASPO Assistant Secretary Analiza Teh who is Project Steering Committee vice chair to DENR Undersecretary Manuel D. Gerochi, by way of giving the rationale of the activity, stressed the importance of the affair in that it signaled the start of cooperation among three organizations with a common vision to address hunger and improve the environment.

         Assistant Director Andin gave a comprehensive project overview that included presentation on the evolution of livelihood initiatives of DENR and various outputs under CLASP beneficiaries like information materials produced to assist communities primarily in the upland, lowland and urban and coastal ecosystems. She reiterated the big contribution of this new project by way of finalizing the Guidebook and sustaining the best practices from community-based forestry projects, LGU initiatives and private sector participation in environment and natural resources programs of the government.

         Expressions of appreciation were exchanged during the event with FMB Director and Steering Committee member Romeo T. Acosta thanking the people of New Zealand and the FAO for the continuing support to the country in its pursuit of sustainable management of forests.

         Mr. Tsurumi acknowledged the support of New Zealand and Amb. Pine, without which the project would not have been possible, he said. He was also pleased with FMB's efforts for initiating the project.

         Ambassador Pine expressed pleasure over such collaboration and at the same time proud that "New Zealand is associated with this project" The outgoing Ambassador also expressed good wishes and luck for the project.

         The signing of project documents between the FAO and NZAID highlighted the launching ceremony.

    Ambassador Pine (seated, right), Mr. Tsurumi, FAO country representative (left) and DENR Undersecretary Mary Ann Lucille Sering sign project documents formally launching the project as DENR Assistant Secretary Analiza Teh, FMB Director Romeo T. Acosta, Assistant FAO Representative Arcadio L.Cruz, FMB Assistant Director Neria A. Andin, and NZAID Manager Patrice Tan look on.

    Ambassador Pine shares a light moment with FMB Director Acosta, Assistant Director Andin and FAO country representative Mr. Tsurumi after the project launch ceremony.