2008-1007 Denr Budget Hearing - Answers To Questions Raised

1) Based on a field investigation conducted in 2004 headed by the Forest Management Bureau ofthe Department ofEnvirorunent and Natural Resources, it was observed by the investigators that the DENR''s Usufruct Program had caused "tremendous influence to the kaingin activities" in the watershed . They even likened the Usufruct Program as the "spark-plug" that set off widespread kaingin . It was even concluded by the investigators that this program triggeredthe invasion of informal settler cultivators to the forest. a. ' What is thestatus ofthis Usufruct Program which was approved by DENR Secretary Cerrilles in 2000` b.' Owing to problems attributed to this program, what is the prospect for this program? Will it still be continued? NOTE: Usufruct Program was intended to encourage DENR employees to plant' fruit bearing trees to the open (pocket) spaces ofthe Ipo Watershed reservation . 2) Ipo Watershed is said to supply 12% of all surface water supply of Metro Manila. If the ability of this watershed to provide clean water is compromised, we can expect a rise in the cost ofwater as well as disruptions in supply. This situation usually impacts the poor and marginalized the most. The two biggest threats to Ipo Watershed are illegal logging and the proliferation of illegal settlers within the watershed: May we know the strategy that the Department intends to use in addressing these two threats? What concrete actions can we expect from the Department' to address the problem of continued smuggling out of cut logs from the watershed? 3). Who has clear jurisdiction over the protection of Ipo Forest and watershed reservation? What role does MWSS, Manila Water and Maynilad have in the'protection, management and rehabilitation ofthis critical common facility? Note:' Angat Watershed is under the stewardship ofNapocor, while the Forest of Subic is under the stewardship of SBMA. Presently,DENR handles the management, protection and rehabilitation of Ipo Watershed since 1997 . As for MWSS who used to administer the watershed, after RA 8041 (Water Crisis Act of 1995), its obligations towards the watershed in terms ofmanagement, protection, sustainable development and rehabilitation were diluted owing to the fact that these obligations were not clearly defined in the Concession Agreement.

Republic ofthe Philippines HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Quezon City

HON. CARMENCITA O. REYES Lone District, Marinduque Vice-Chairman, Appropriations Vice-Chairman, Southern Tagalog 08 October 2008

Member: Accounts Basic Education Higher Education Games and Amusement Housing and Urban Development Women

HON. ALVIN SANDOVAL Representative, Lone District of Malabon City-Navotas City N-304 House of Representatives Batasan Hills, Quezon City Dear Rep . Sandoval : Warmest Marinduque greetings! I write with regard to the issue your Honor raised on the Ipo Watershed, specifically on the strategy of the DENR in addressing the problems : of illegal logging and illegal settlers . Please find attached a copy of the DENR Action Plan for the Protection of Ipo Watershed Against Threat of Forest Destructions . I hope said document contains sufficient information on the matter, to help you better evaluate and: facilitate the approval of the DENR'Proposed Budget in Plenary. On your other queries, additional materials are forthcoming from the DENR. In case your Honor has some clarifications, or if you wish to raise some other question/s, please inform my office in writing or call us prior to Plenary ; my staff will be coordinating with the DENR so the Department can respond the soonest possible time. Thank you very much. With all good wishes

Suite 109 House of Representatives Batman Complex, Quezon City Tel . : 931-6427 ; 931-50-01 Loc . 7210

Poblacion, Boac Tel, ; (042)332-2010'

Cancelled last July 18, 2004 with 68 usufructuaries with the total area of 153,618 hectares.

Oct. . 09 2001 05 :D4HP1 P1

Answer to Question #2 = On June 25, 2008, a Salugnayan was On the proliferation of itlegal set'b conducted at lpo dam with most of the stakeholders in afendance It was made clear by RED Regidof M- de Leon to the illegal settlers that teir entry into the area is illegal. Only the native Dus ts and the tenured migrants will be allowed to stay on site after cornplying with the requirements of RA 7886 . The foregoing actions whedaer considered as hard or soft approach have been initiated by the DENR. Unlike the NAP.OCOR who satisfactorily manages and control the Angat Watershed in the u r shieam, our co-manager -- MWSS and not to interested sits concessionaries Seem be in investing or Oowing back some of its enormous pro-fits to protect and perpeh.rate the benefits and services provided by its resource base --the Ipo Dam and Watershed

While the threat of forest destrucfion (timber poaching, kaingin, charcoal making, etc) is evident within the watershed due to expansivrderxtry of informal settlers, the DENR has not ceased in its role of protecting forest resources . From 2007 to present, this Office conducted eeven (11) operations within lpo watei 51 iuJ with th6 awinlanoo of the Philippine Army r---aling to the seizure of 2,766 bd . ft. of illegally sourred lumber five (5) conveyarxes, the dismantling of two (20 charcoal kilns, and filing of two (2) Case against four (4) persons for

violations of Sec. 68, PD 705 as arnerxW_

Our forest protection operatives frxfs difficutties in launcN~ orations because of the inaccessibility of the area, the scarcity of funds and the non-availability of patrol boat to be used witiain the Ilpo River_ Nevertheless, the assistance given by the Philippine Army in term of security has sustained our operations . To further address the issue and to carne-up with a joint effcxt with MWSS and its two (2) water concessionaires whose operations are sustained by the said watershed, our technical personnel lamed by RTD for Forestry Sofio S. Quintana had coordinated with the MWSS thrna.gh the Deputy Administrator for Operations Leonor C_ Clews on Cktober 2, 2008 for their commitments towards the protection and rehabilA of the watershed joints agreed to implement immediate and long tears me esfsohAiom as follows,

MR ORED

FRX Na

0M 07 2000 0:3'52AM P3

: 04253046

ACTION PLAN F40R THE PROTECTION OF IPO WATERSHED AGAINST THREAT OF FOREST DESTRUCTIONS 1 ' RESPONSIBLE 1 PERSONIGROUP ii

October2OO8

MWS-S-Cornmon

OctoberNov. 2008

DENR 06"MUSK CPF

rk*4WQ r-

MW-':-&CPF

C%IOW-

VVVSS-QEAR

I. IM MEDIATE PLANS

inus: FRAME

1 . Adopt an ID sys*m at lpo Gate

2 . Regulate ft

Operations of Biancas

3 :

assess cuawt security ar-rangermnsewif

4.

ACqu1onc9pw#A

5.

1 nventory of *eWem

6 . Finalize ne SCAA (Special AFGQ

I I I

Purpose Facility

Nov- 2-um

0m. 2009

I

October-

NPC-M 1NS8-DEARPA

Nov. 15, 20M

~ If. LONG TERM PLANS 7. Fenong of the Ix Perimeter EYAWn and Resehement of lifiblef Qcc--upants 9-

install rornote contioNed surveillance intern

?

CY 2009 and beyond cry 20OR and beyond

I

CY 2009 and beyon<1

Enclosed is tiae V"five Cow AANp & lea

FOR INFORIVATIOWCONSIDERATION

MWSS and concQssionanesVNVSXNCIP-DF-NR-LGU Norzagaray MWSS and concessionaries

WMaKed-

REMARKS

1 To

determine the of new migrants/settlers To determFn-e' incidence of oil

I

entry

smwpojlution; to detinthe erme use of Banca in Megal

transpri . . ---

To determine if current security 1 efforts are ~!dtg~ q u ate To be used in patrol j of the rivericreek ; 1 haul seized forest products To determine the actual number of

'I

serve as basis in the future course of action. To augment security farces of MWSS and forest angers of DENT To deter entry of illegal settlers To protect the integrity of the Ipo Watershed Resources-

Answer to Question # 3 Since its proclamation as a watershed forest reserve in 1968, the MWSS and DENR did not forge any terms of engagement (e .g. MQU or MOA) on how to manage, protect and develop the lpo_ This was aggravated by the privatization in 7997 when Manila Water Company,

Inc. (Ayala group) and Mayndad Water (MVP-PLDT/Smart & Consunji

group) came into the pktire.

There was no clear instbutional arrangement to the management and development of the water resource. What is distinctly clear and is public knowledge is that water resource of !po is the bread and

butter of MWSS and its concessionaires. They are the beneficial end users of the raw water (3_2f3 4iters1day) tttat flows into La Mesa-Balara then cleansed and soled to the 15 million denizens of Mega-Manila and suburbs. As for MWSS who used to administer the watershed, after RA 8041 (Water Crisis Act of 7996); its obligations towards the watershed in

terms of management* protection, sustainable development and

rehabilitation were diluted owing try the fact that these obligations were not clearly defined in the Gormssion Agreement: