Indigenous Peoples' Local Mitigation and Adaption Measures to Climate Change: The Case of the Ikalahans and Tagbanua of the Philippines

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1 Indigenous Peoples' Local Mitigation and Adaption Measures to Climate Change: The Case of the Ikalahans and Tagbanua of the Philippines

2 Philippine Gov t Policies and Programs May 8, Inter-Agency Committee on Climate Change (IACCC) signed and ratified in 1994 the UNFCCC April signed and ratified the Kyoto Protocol on November 22, 2003 June 25, DENR as the DNA for CDM January 17, Biofuels Act of 2006 (RA 9367) February 20, Presidential Task Force on Climate Change (PPTFCC) October 22, 2008 Philippine Climate Change Response Action Plan (PCCRAP) December 16, president signed the Renewable Energy Act

3 State of Play Biofuels in the Philippines Mandatory use of biofuels Philippine National Oil Company- to provide and maintain adequate and stable supply of oil 1.2 million has for agri-business development 15 private companies invested in 2008 Possible expansions would affect: food security, land ownership, land conversion, increase of price of basic goods, sustainability, commercialization of culture, harassment of women and children

4 The Ikalahans of Nueva Vizcaya The Tagbanua of Coron Island Palawan

5 Case Study 1: The CORON ISLAND is a home to Calamian Tagbanua which is located in the northern most section of Palawan composed of two fishing villages- Banwang Daan and Cabugao with an inlet island called Delian Island the place could be accessible by pump boat from the mainland: minutes to Banwang Daan and minutes to Cabugao

6 The Calamian Tagbanua seafaring people who obtain most of their resources from the sea rather than from the forest. life depends on awuyuk (lake), talu (corals), surublien (ancestral waters), leyang (caves) and geba (forests) source of income is mainly from fishing and swiflets nest gathering though they also rely on swidden farming, seaweed cultivation (pangangawil), mat weaving and eco-tourism economic activities fall in two season: kamian and abagat

7 Tagbanua Annual Cycle of Subsistence Tagbanwa's Annual Cycle of Subsistence before 1980's harvest time for kasoy Pagbabalinsasayaw Pangagawil/ Pagtatambalang Pagkaingin J Pagtatanim Pagdulok F M A M J Harvest time for palay J A S O N D Tagbanwa's Annual Cycle of Subsistence after 1980's harvest time for kasoy Pagbabalinsasayaw Pangagawil/ Pagtatambalang Pagkaingin J F Pagdulok M A Pagtatanim M J Harvest time for palay J A S O N D

8 Securing the right over resources through CADT For fishing and foraging community like the Tagbwanua in Coron Island, securing the right to ancestral domain is vital to their everyday life. It is not a guarantee of a blissful life but at least a premise of certainty for stewardship the Tagbanua formed the people's organization, Tagbanua Foundation of Coron Island Community Forest Stewardship Agreement Coron Island was declared ancestral domain of the Tagbanua through CADC No It consists of 22,400 hectares of land and waters The Tagbanua obtained their CADT

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10 Climate change and the Calamian Tagbanua Has there been a change in the climate? Pwerte pagkinit yang kaldaw the beach is hot even at night time Before, if we walk for 20 meters, we are dampened with dew but today we are soaked with sweat...the weather has become warmer; the sun has become more intense. Indicators of climate change: 1) irregularity of rainfall (1980) 2) warmer weather (1981) 3) drying of wells (1987) 4) rise in sea level (2008) 5) warmer sea (1990 s)

11 Impacts of Climate Change to the Tagbanua With the change in the climate, reliance on traditional weather forecasting by the Tagbanuas has decreased and their subsistence activities were affected. More importantly, significant impacts were felt. Unpredictable weather patterns Decrease in crop yields Change in root crop's taste and size Decline in the amount of swiflets' nest gathered Warmer weather and drought Wells dried out Decrease in fish catch Seaweed cultivation nterrupted

12 Impacts of Climate Change to the Tagbanua Rise in sea level Occurrence of flood in some parts of the island Warmer sea and stronger sea currents or waves Disrupted fishing activity Destruction of coral reefs Vulnerability to environmental hazards

13 Adaptation Strategies Generally, the Tagbanua still utilize some of their traditional knowledge in weather prediction and still rely on traditional knowledge in coping with the impacts of climate change. Adjustment in planting and clearing period (swidden farming). Fishing area and methods have diversified. Schedule has also changed. Suspension of seaweed farming for 2 years. Discovery of new water source. Dependence on root crop (kurut/burut) for survival.

14 Mitigating Climate Change Sustainable use of resources: Gathering of kurut/burut (root crop), balinsasayaw (swiflets/ bird s nest), pangangawil (fishing) Management of resources centered in the observance of customary law (ADMP): Prohibited fishing areaspanyaan, awuyuks, sanktuarios; Panglaw system- traditional way of punishment is observed.

15 Highlights of Customary Laws Non-Tagbanuas to use any part of the ancestral domain without domain permission is prohibited. Selling and leasing of portions of land within the ancestral domain to non-tagbanuas without consultation and approval from TCFI is not allowed. The burial grounds are prohibited to agricultural activities and are not open to the public. Quarrying or destruction of limestone rocks are prohibited. It is prohibited to gather nest of balinsasayaw if its inakay (brood) are still very young. Only small canoe is use for touring around the island. Beaches are regarded as sacred hence must not be exploited.

16 Ancestral Domain Management Plan The Tagbanua Ancestral domain Resource utilization including identification of sacred places such as certain spirits dwellings found in caves, lakes, corals, forests; Traditional practice of private ownership and inheritance / transfer of properties; Mechanisms and approaches to development projects; The access and use of water and marine resources; The composition of the Tagbanua s Council and the role of the asemblea (assembly of Tagbanua villagers) as the most powerful decision-making body, and the Mama epet (tribal elders) as the governing body; Tagbanua positions and responsibilities and TFCI committees; Traditional punishments for illegal activities Taxation for non-tagbanuas.

17 Case Study 2: The Ikalahan Experience Year Community Struggle Community Action and results Land grabbing Fought in courts and won the case; established KE & KA Pressured government for land lease and signed the MOA #1 & were granted CADC and CADT Land Tenure and Security Mapping of the domain 1974 onwards Forest fires and Illegal Logging Trained local people for survey and sought assistance from PAFID Established community rules and regulations Created firelines (gaik) and green breaks with maguey and ipil-ipil Land Use and land management Reforestation Came up with land use plan (wildlife sanctuary, production forest and dappat) KEF staff, barangay officials and individual efforts Identification of endangered species livelihood Food processing; continuous planting of indigenous species

18 The Ikalahan Ancestral Domain Claim

19 Adapting to Climate Change Climate change Adaptation Measures Impacts Warmer temperature Take advantage by planting rice up to 3x a year Planting fruit trees suited for warmer weather such as santol and mango Increase of pests Venture in organic farming Collect good quality of seeds from unharvested fruits for nursery Protection of wildlife sanctuary for natural predators Local fertilizers (panawel) and insecticides (marigold) Adhere to modern weather forecast Unpredictable weather conditions Damaging rains and typhoons Staggered planting of crops in the uma such as obi Plant erosion crops such as tiger grass, dagwey and dikay (for food processing too) Community practice of reciprocated labor such as amuyo and bataris

20 Sustainable Forest Management Swidden Farming Practices: gaik, ahad, gen-gen, day-og, pangomis, kineba Forest Improvement Technology: careful culling of trees so as not to damage and disturb biodiversity Inventory of Resources: community inventory of forest biomass, wildlife, trees and other plants since 1974

21 First action research site of RUPES in 2002 RUPES Kalahan team prepared CDM Project Design Document of 900-has grassland for the project in 2005 Started negotiating with carbon agent in 2007 Signed agreement with MUS (agent) in 2008 At present: reforestation, delineation of blocks, settlement of land individual land claims and upgrading of carbon data The CDM project

22 Voluntary Market Maintains 10,000 has of the production forest for non Kyoto market Reviewed 1994 carbon measurement formula in 2002 with UPLB Project Idea note being prepared for the carbon project Hydroelectricity as another energy saving processes (bundled market) Approved SIBAT's project proposal to provide technical assistance in hydro-power project in early 2009 adopted a new carbon measurement formula in 2008 Continuous practice of FIT to expedite forest growth