DENR-USAID's B+WISER conducts capacity building activities for indigenous people (IP) that are considered key stakeholders in its project sites

(Left) B+WISER Senior Program Associate Leo Rex Cayaban describing practical techniques for ring weeding to members of the Dumagat tribe who are also beneficiaries of the government's Conditional Cash Transfer Program. (Right) Bai Jerlina Owok, Bagobo-Tagabawa Tribal Chieftain from Digos City, Davao del Sur describing the enforcement efforts in their ancestral domain.

On August 11-18, 2015, trainings on environmental law enforcement (ELE) and forest restoration were conducted for IPs in two of B+WISER's sites.

In Mt. Apo Natural Park, more than 80 individuals from the Bagobo-Tagabawa tribe in Davao del Sur learned techniques on proper apprehension, confiscation of illegal equipment, and evidence gathering against timber and wildlife poachers and park violators in a training held by B+WISER, DENR and Kapiid Ka Banua, Inc., a local IP organization. The IPs will be deputized as DENR Park Rangers to assist in enforcing environmental laws within the 44,000-hectare ancestral domain of the tribe. 

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DENR-USAID's B+WISER supports documentation of indigenous customs in conserving and protecting Mt. Kitanglad.

B+WISER Chief of Party Efrain Laureano (2nd from right, sitting) and KIN Executive Director Easterluna Canoy (rightmost, sitting) sign the grant agreement on August 9 in Malaybalay City, Bukidnon. Looking on are (l-r, sitting) PAMB Cultural & Tribal Affairs Committee member Datu Manlalarawan Eddie Rautraut; USAID Natural Resources Policy Advisor Oliver Agoncillo; and PAMB Cultural and Tribal Affairs Committee Chair and MKRNP Council of Elders Chief Datu Makapukaw. Representatives of DENR, LGUs, the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), KIN, B+WISER and communities witness the signing.

The DENR-USAID B+WISER Program will support the documentation of tribal customs in the conservation, protection and use of biodiversity and natural resources in Mt. Kitanglad Range Natural Park in the province of Bukidnon. A grant was given to the Kitanglad Integrated NGOs, Inc. (KIN) on August 9, 2015, in celebration of the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples, for the latter to document cultural traditions, roles and responsibilities of the Talaandig, Bukidnon and Higaonon tribes in the park--an ASEAN Heritage Park.

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B+WISER enhances capacities of LGU and PNP to protect the Naujan lake Natural Park and sub-watersheds

(Left) Participants discuss proper conduct of arrest, search, seizure and custodial investigation during the training. (Right) Participants during a portrayal exercise on proper questioning and inspection of necessary permits needed in logging operations.

B+WISER and DENR enhanced the capacities of more than 60 DENR and LGU officials, Philippine National Police (PNP) officers including the Barangay Peace Keeping Action Team (BPAT) and Bantay Lawa and Bantay Dagat personnel in environmental law enforcement practices and in map reading, navigation and plotting on August 11-14, 2015 in Pola, Oriental Mindoro.

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B+WISER and DENR train stakeholders on mangrove and beach forest establishment

(Left) Participants observe proper soil preparation and planting techniques for beach forest establishment. (Right) DENR R-13 representative presenting a situationer of Siargao Island's mangroves

On August 1, 2015, DENR-USAID’s B+WISER and DENR Region 13 trained 40 stakeholders in Del Carmen in Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte on planting techniques for higher survival rate of mangrove and beach forest species in preparation for the community’s participation in DENR's Mangrove and Beach Forest Development Program (MBFDP).

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