Haribon Foundation leads the REDAA-supported project "Engaging Indigenous Peoples and local communities in ensuring environmental and social safeguards for the Aklan River Watershed Forest Reserve". We spoke with some members of the Haribon team: Arlie Jo Endonila, project lead and chief operating officer, Regie Anne Placido, project coordinator; Noel Resurreccion, project manager; and Ritchel Cahilig, conservation and training specialist.
- What are the development plans – or big infrastructure projects – that are coming up to threaten ecological integrity?
Ritchel: One big infrastructure project is the hydropower plant in Ma. Cristina, Madalag, Aklan, one of the partner communities. Construction began several years ago and the operational phase has only recently started. There is also road widening and construction underway. This project, facilitated by a local government unit, aims to improve farm-to-market access within the project site. It’s a huge project extending up to the forest reserve.
Arlie: While farmers and communities often appreciate the benefits of road networks, such as improved access to education and essential services, the construction of these roads in forested areas may not always be preceded by comprehensive environmental impact assessments. These are crucial to minimise potential disturbances to biodiversity and the ecosystem services provided by the forests.
The communities should also be made aware and be part of the discussions about potential impacts of the particular development project.
- And why is slash and burn and human encroachment happening?
Regie: Some of these communities have experienced insurgencies in the past. These used to be conflicted areas but now there is peace and order – the government helped achieve that – so people are coming back to the area and they need land for subsistence farming. It’s a protected area so it’s mostly timberland. If there’s lack of land security or tenure, the people might resort to encroachment and unsustainable agricultural practices.
Noel: Land tenure security is crucial. When individuals lack secure land rights in the lowlands, they often resort to cultivating in the uplands, frequently employing slash-and-burn agriculture. While slash-and-burn has historically been a sustainable farming practice for Indigenous Peoples, the diminishing forest cover now renders this method unsustainable.
A portion of the watershed is an ancestral domain of the Indigenous group Akeanon Bukidnon, who safeguard and depend on the area for shelter, food, medicine and livelihood.
- How long are we talking about in terms of the association of this group to the area?
Ritchel: I am a local of the province. While the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) officially recognised this Indigenous group only in the 21st century, the communities themselves assert that their ancestral occupation and cultural practices have existed since time immemorial.
- Keeping the Aklan River Watershed Forest Reserve (ARWFR) in good health is foundational to sustaining local communities – and beyond that? What would the impact be on wider locations of this ecosystem collapsing?
Ritchel: The degradation of these ecosystems poses a significant threat to both the Indigenous Cultural Communities/Indigenous People (ICC/IP) and the wider environment. A healthy ecosystem is crucial for a sustainable community. The collapse of ecosystems in the headwaters can have far-reaching consequences for the entire watershed, impacting all who depend on it.
Arlie: Yes, it provides the main water supply for the entire province, making its health absolutely vital.
- You say there’s a lack of national and local conservation policies and legislation, which limits attention. Can you unpack that a bit? Why has this happened?
Arlie: The issue isn’t necessarily a lack of policies. The watershed forest reserve was established under Presidential Proclamation No. 600 (June 28, 1990) and is protected as an initial component of the National Integrated Protected Areas System. However, official legislation needs to be passed to ensure its full protection. And then the local government must actively participate in watershed conservation. This includes passing local ordinances and allocating budget for conservation efforts.
The project aims to influence these changes and raise awareness among all communities in the province – not only Indigenous Peoples – to ensure the protection of the watershed for everyone’s benefit.
Noel: A significant challenge is the weak enforcement of existing environmental laws at both the national and local levels. While numerous environmental regulations are in place, effective implementation remains a major hurdle. This issue is made worse by the limited capacity of local governments and the lack of awareness among key stakeholders regarding their roles and responsibilities in protected area management.
Regie: Right now there is no representative of Indigenous Peoples in the Protected Area Management Board, which oversees the management of the protected area. This is contrary to the law which states that there must be “at least one but not more than three representatives from all the ICCs/IPs in the area and recognised by the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP).” Our project will try to fill the gap and build the capacity of communities to be more prepared to engage in the governance of the protected area once it becomes fully legislated.
- Can you provide more information on the different kinds of roles these groups perform?
Arlie: Citizens and Indigenous Peoples participated in training to develop their skills in monitoring and research data collection, enabling them to become integral members of the team. They will be actively involved in conducting monitoring activities for the watershed in the future.
Ritchel: They have been stewards of their own environment for hundreds of years, employing traditional farming methods that will be further explored in our research on Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Practices (IKSP). These traditional methods will be integrated with modern conservation approaches. It's crucial to acknowledge that they possess a well-established system of natural resource management and traditional governance. Our goal is to revitalise these systems.
As Noel pointed out, slash-and-burn agriculture was traditionally practised sustainably, allowing land to regenerate. However, with increasing population pressure, this practice is becoming unsustainable. For instance, a family of five with three children may eventually need to settle in the same area, leading to over-exploitation of land resources.
The growing demand for agricultural produce in modern markets exerts additional pressure on these ecosystems. This increased demand necessitates more intensive farming practices, potentially further degrading the environment.
Regie: Some of the data that surfaced in our participatory situational analysis is interesting – one of the communities talks about the different cultural value of trees. People depend on forests for shelter, food and everyday life but also realise they are an important resource for wildlife. They are conservationists, they know how to regenerate and reforest the area. At the same time, they know there’s a value in harvesting timber. They see the tension being created.
Ritchel: One community explained the importance of trees for medicinal purposes. They try to take what they need for medicine but without harming the tree. And how they make rattan baskets for storing the fish they get from rivers – they don’t do that for mass production, just for subsistence.
Once these Indigenous Peoples have a seat at the governance table, their traditional knowledge can inform the research lens for conservationists and contribute to the development of fully socially inclusive policies.
- How will you address inevitable power dynamics in these governance spaces?
Ritchel: Our observation reveals promising dynamics among stakeholders, particularly with the local government's participation in parabiologists’ training and the participatory situational analysis. To navigate the inevitable power dynamics effectively within this governance space, it's crucial to foster open and transparent communication channels and promote shared ownership and responsibility among all stakeholders.
Noel: In reality, there are always power dynamics among politicians, Indigenous Peoples and civil society organisations. However, the project’s strategy is to align with existing local plans and policies. By doing so, we can minimise these power struggles.