1.

WHERE CAN WE FIND AVAILABLE AREAS FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF

TREE PLANTATIONS? ARE THERE AVAILABLE MAPS WHERE WE CAN VIEW

THESE AREAS?

ANSWER: THE DENR THRU ITS REGIONAL OFFICES WERE MANDATED TO

DELINEATE PRODUCTION FORESTS FOR INVESTMENTS NATIONWIDE. SO

FAR, THE AREAS IN MINDANAO HAVE BEEN COMPLETED WHILE THE AREAS

IN LUZON AND VISAYAS ARE SUBJECT FOR FURTHER ASSESSMENT. OF

COURSE, IT ALSO DEPENDS ON THE TYPE OF PLANTATIONS TO BE

ESTABLISHED WHETHER FOR ROUNDWOOD PRODUCTION, FUELWOOD OR

BIOMASS. WITH REGARDS TO COMPARATIVE ADVANTAGE AND AGRO-

CLIMATIC CONDITION FOR ROUNDWOOD, CARAGA WHICH IS CONSIDERED

AS A TIMBER CORRIDOR IS VERY PROMISING, FOLLOWED BY REGIONS 11,

12, 9, AND 10. CURRENTLY, AN ESTIMATED 300,000 HECTARES OF

POTENTIAL INVESTMENT AREAS (PIA) IS IN MINDANAO. WE INTEND TO

UPLOAD THESE INFORMATION TOGETHER WITH MAPS IN THE FORESTRY

INVESTMENT PORTAL.

2. ARE THERE AVAILABLE SITES WITH COMPLETE FEASIBILITY STUDIES

AND READY FOR PLANTATION ESTABLISHMENT? WHERE CAN WE GET

THIS INFORMATION?

ANSWER: ONE OF THE STRATEGIES UNDER THE FORESTRY INVESTMENT

ROAD MAP IS THE FORESTRY INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO APPROACH (FIPA)

WHEREIN THE GOVERNMENT THRU DENR PACKAGE AREAS FOR

INVESTMENT. THIS INCLUDE THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN, LOCAL

GOVERNMENT ENDORSEMENT, CERTIFICATE OF NON-COVERAGE, AND

CERTIFICATE OF NON-OVERLAP TOGETHER WITH THE DRAFT TENURE

INSTRUMENT. WE HAVE INITIALLY TARGETED 9 REGIONS WITH FIPA

 PROJECTS WHICH ARE NOW IN VARIOUS STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT (CAR,

R2, R3, CALABARZON, MIMAROPA, R6, R10, R12, AND CARAGA).

CARAGA, R10, AND MIMAROPA FOCUSED ON TREE PLANTATION

DEVELOPMENT. THESE HAVE ALREADY UNDERGONE FEASIBILITY STUDIES,

AND FINANCIAL ANALYSIS (BCR, IRR, AND PAYBACK PERIODS).

3. WHO DOES THE FEASIBILITY STUDIES? IS THERE A LIST OF AVAILABLE

CONSULTANTS/FIRMS WHO CAN DO FEASIBILITY STUDIES OR

DEVELOPMENT PLANS? IF THERE IS, WHERE AND HOW CAN WE ACCESS

THIS INFORMATION?

ANSWER: UNDER THE PORTFOLIO APPROACH, IT IS THE GOVERNMENT

THRU THE DENR FIELD OFFICE WHO PREPARE THE FEASIBILITY STUDIES AS

PART AND PARCEL TO THE INVESTMENT PACKAGE, BUT THESE ARE

LIMITED TO ELIGIBLE AREAS WITHOUT ENCUMBRANCES. HOWEVER, THOSE

OUTSIDE FIPA AREAS, THE NORMAL PROCEDURES IS ADOPTED WHEREIN

THE INVESTOR / PROPONENT PREPARE THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN, SECURE

THE NECESSARY CLEARANCES, WITH ASSISTANCE OF DENR. TECHNICAL /

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES MAY BE ACCESSED THRU INDIVIDUAL OR

ORGANIZATIONS OFFERING ASSISTANCE.

4. IS THERE A PROCESS FOR THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO PARTNER WITH

EXISTING TENURE HOLDERS IN TREE PLANTATION DEVELOPMENT? ARE

PRIVATE-PUBLIC PARTNERSHIPS POSSIBLE IN TREE PLANTATION

ESTABLISHMENTS?

ANSWER: THE PRIVATE SECTOR COULD PARTNER WITH EXISTING TENURE

HOLDERS PARTICULARLY WITH COMMUNITY-BASED FOREST MANAGEMENT

AGREEMENT (CBFMA) SPECIFICALLY ON ENHANCEMENT OF THE

 PLANTATIONS, HARVESTING, AND MARKETING OF PRODUCTS WHICH

COULD INCLUDE HIGH VALUE CROPS. THIS CAN BE PURSUED THROUGH

MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT OR THROUGH SERVICE/DEVELOPMENT

CONTRACT. THE GOVERNMENT OR PUBLIC SECTOR, ON THE OTHER HAND,

COULD PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE INCLUDING CAPACITY BUILDING

TO THE CBFMA HOLDER.

5. IS THERE A POSSIBILITY WHERE AN AREA CAN BE RECOMMENDED BY THE

PRIVATE SECTOR OR THE INDUSTRY FOR INVESTMENT PACKAGES? IF SO,

WILL THIS STILL GO THROUGH THE BIDDING PROCESS ONCE THE PACKAGE

IS COMPLETED?

ALL THE PRODUCTION FOREST AREAS FOR INVESTMENTS ARE

ALREADY UNDERGOING DELINEATION. THE PRIVATE SECTOR CAN ASSIST,

PROMOTE OR SHOWCASE SUCH AREAS FOR INVESTMENT. UNDER THE FIPA

APPROACH, A POTENTIAL INVESTOR SHOULD STILL UNDERGO BIDDING

PROCESS AS MANDATED.
 CLOSING STATEMENT

TO ALL PARTICIPANTS TO THIS FIRST NATIONAL FORESTRY INVESTMENT FORUM,

THE FORESTRY SECTOR UNDOUBTEDLY CONTRIBUTES TO THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC

DEVELOPMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL INTEGRITY OF THE COUNTRY.

TOGETHER, WE GROW, INVEST NOW. THANK YOU AND GOOD DAY.