Cultivating Multifaceted Participation in the Community-Based Forest Management (CBFM) Program in Communities of Northern Isabela

Communities’ participation has been the key strategy of the Community-Based Forest Management (CBFM) Program to achieve its ultimate goal: improving the community’s socio-economic conditions and equal access to forest resources sustainably. This report cultivates the levels and forms of participation in decision-making in the Masipi and Caligayan areas of the Philippines, adapting the “Typology of Participation” by FAO (2003). The quantitative data was collected through surveys, while the qualitative data was gathered through Focus Group Discussions (FGD) among 186 community respondents from the Masipi East Upland Famers Association (MEUFA) and Tumauini Upland Farmers Greeners Association (TUFGA), as well as the 15 implementer respondents from the Department of Natural Resources – Community Environment and Natural Resource Office (DENR-CENRO), and the Municipal Environment and Natural Resources (MENRO) of Cabagan and Tumauini, Isabela. The report found that while government personnel were actively involved, community engagement was mostly limited to consultations. Indeed, further inclusive strategies are needed. The noticeable contrast between the active implementers and the more passive community engagements highlights the necessity for strategies that enhance community involvement.