21 May 2024 | In relation to keeping the FPIC guidelines relevant and appropriate to the needs of Indigenous Cultural Communities/Indigenous Peoples (ICCs/IPs), the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples holds a 3-part policy writeshop on Forest Carbon Development Projects.

During the write-shop, resource speakers from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources namely Mr. Jhorace Tupas and Mr. Albert Magalang shared their expertise regarding Policy Development on Blue Carbon and the discussion of the Draft DENR Administrative Order on “Guidelines for Establishing, Managing and Monitoring Voluntary Forest Carbon Projects in Forestlands and National Parks of the Philippines.

Additionally, the engagement provided an opportunity for the participants to share their insights and experiences in relation to identifying the bottlenecks in the implementation of the Free, Prior, and Informed Consent Process. Also, participants provided their inputs to the proposed forms and checklist for Carbon Projects.

The 3-part policy write-shop was spearheaded by the Office on Policy, Planning, and Research (OPPR) in collaboration with the FPIC Benefit Sharing Team headed by Atty. Edna Maguigad and Atty. Gillian Dunuan.

Participants of the activity are the officers and representatives from the different NCIP Bureau Offices namely the Ancestral Domains Office (ADO), Legal Affairs Office (LAO), and the Office on Socio-Economic Services and Special Concerns (OSESSC) together with Focal Person from the different NCIP Regional Offices.

The 3rd and final session of the NCIP policy write-shop is scheduled on June 4, 2024.