The Case of the Ikalahans and Tagbanua of the Philippines

Indigenous Peoples' Local Mitigation and Adaption Measures to Climate Change:

The Case of the Ikalahans and Tagbanua

of the Philippines

Philippine Gov’t Policies and Programs

• May 8, 1991- Inter-Agency Committee on Climate Change (IACCC)• 1992- signed and ratified in 1994 the UNFCCC• April 1998- signed and ratified the Kyoto Protocol on November 22, 2003•June 25, 2004- DENR as the DNA for CDM • January 17, 2007- Biofuels Act of 2006 (RA 9367) • February 20, 2007- Presidential Task Force on Climate Change (PPTFCC)• October 22, 2008 – Philippine Climate Change Response Action Plan (PCCRAP) •December 16, 2008- president signed the Renewable Energy Act

‘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

The Ikalahansof Nueva Vizcaya

The Tagbanua of Coron Island

Palawan

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: 30-45 minutes to Banwang Daan and 60-90 minutes to Cabugao

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

Tagbanua Annual Cycle of Subsistence

harvest time for kasoy

Pagbabalinsasayaw

Pagdulok Pagtatanim Harvest time for palay

J F M A M J J A S O N D

harvest time for kasoy

Pagbabalinsasayaw

Pagdulok Pagtatanim Harvest time for palay

J F M A M J J A S O N D

Tagbanwa's Annual Cycle of Subsistence before 1980's       

       Pangagawil/ Pagtatambalang       Pagkaingin  

    Tagbanwa's Annual Cycle of Subsistence after 1980's    

     Pangagawil/ Pagtatambalang       Pagkaingin    

Securing the right over resources through CADT

1985- the Tagbanua formed the people's organization, Tagbanua Foundation of Coron Island

1990- Community Forest Stewardship Agreement

1998- Coron Island was declared ancestral domain of the Tagbanua through CADC No. 134. It consists of 22,400 hectares of land and waters

2004- The Tagbanua obtained their CADT

For fishing and foraging community like the Tagbwanua in CoronIsland, 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.

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)

Climate change and the Calamian Tagbanua

Impacts of Climate Change to the TagbanuaWith 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 patternsDecrease 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 catchSeaweed cultivation nterrupted

Warmer sea and stronger sea currents or waves• Disrupted fishing activity• Destruction of coral reefs

Rise in sea level•Occurrence of flood in some parts of the island

Vulnerability to environmental hazards

Impacts of Climate Change to the Tagbanua

Adaptation StrategiesGenerally, 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.

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 areas- panyaan, awuyuks, sanktuarios; Panglaw system- traditional way of punishment is observed.

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.

Ancestral Domain Management PlanThe 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.

Case Study 2: The Ikalahan ExperienceYear Community Struggle Community Action and results

-1973 Land grabbing Fought in courts and won the case; established KE & KA

Land Tenure and Security Pressured government for land lease and signed the MOA #1 & were granted CADC and CADT

Mapping of the domain Trained local people for survey and sought assistance from PAFID

1974 onwards

Forest fires and Illegal Logging

Established community rules and regulations

Created firelines (gaik) and green breaks with maguey and ipil-ipil

Land Use and land management

Came up with land use plan (wildlife sanctuary, production forest and dappat)

Reforestation KEF staff, barangay officials and individual efforts

Identification of endangered species

livelihood Food processing; continuous planting of indigenous species

The Ikalahan Ancestral Domain Claim

Adapting to Climate Change Climate change

ImpactsAdaptation Measures

Warmer temperature Take advantage by planting rice up to 3x a yearPlanting fruit trees suited for warmer weather such as santol and mango

Increase of pests Venture in organic farmingCollect good quality of seeds from unharvested fruits for nursery Protection of wildlife sanctuary for natural predators Local fertilizers (panawel) and insecticides (marigold)

Unpredictable weather conditions

Adhere to modern weather forecastStaggered planting of crops in the uma such as obi

Damaging rains and typhoons

Plant erosion crops such as tiger grass , dagwey and dikay(for food processing too) Community practice of reciprocated labor such as amuyo and bataris

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

The CDM project• 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

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