The concept of payments for environmental services (PES) is becoming a well-accepted strategy to address the country’s environmental and poverty conditions. Because of this, the development of a committee was seen necessary due to the existence of and growing concerns on PES-liked mechanisms in the country. They saw the need to provide technical assistance to these sites. Pioneer members of this committee are part of the International Steering Committee (ISC) for the Rewarding Upland Poor for Environmental Services (RUPES) programme.
The PES Technical Working Group (TWG) is composed of organizations and agencies agreeing to collaborate in institutionalizing and mainstreaming Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) in the Philippines through the following actions:
- conduct research and disseminate results,
- document and disseminate best practices and lessons learned,
- advocate policy to support PES implementation in the Philippines,
- establish networks and linkage with other agencies and organizations,
- support capacity building activities such as workshops and training, and
- mobilize resources.
Currently, the PES-Philippines TWG is composed of the following:
- World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF-Philippines)
- Forest Management Bureau (FMB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources
- Forestry Development Center (FDC) of the College of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of the Philippines Los Banos:
- Research, Environment and Economic Center for Studies Inc. (REECS)
- World Wide Fund for Nature - Philippines (WWF)
- National Economic Development Authority (NEDA)
- ASEAN Center for Biodiversity (ACB)
- Conservation International (CI)
TWG Activities:
- Conducted the First and Second National PES Policy Workshops
- Regular meetings
- Cross-visits
What We Are Doing Now?
- Drafted the MOU among partners for finalization and signing on January 12, 2010
- Upcoming 3rd National workshop/Conference on PES on February 4-5, 2010 with the theme: "PES for Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation". The primary objectives of the workshop are to: 1) Assess how PES can be utilized as a financial instrument for climate change mitigation and adaptation, 2) Demonstrate PES as a conservation and/or poverty alleviation tool and, how it can contribute to climate change adaptation and mitigation, and 3) Identify information gaps and research agenda on PES in the Philippines.
Secretariat
ICRAF-Philippines through RUPES
Contact: Emma Abasolo
Email: e.abasolo@irri.org