02/09/2026
Growing Forests, Strengthening Communities in Eastern Mindanao
Forests provide more than trees. It can provide food, livelihood, water, and opportunities for communities to build a more secure future.
From 24β27 August 2026, the Forest Management Bureau, through the Biodiversity Corridor (BD Corridor) Project, conducted the Batch 2 Inception and Awarding of Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) Grants for three Community-Based Forest Management (CBFM) Peopleβs Organizations within the Eastern Mindanao Biodiversity Corridor (EMBC).
The three grantees, Kauswagan Pinaragan Hagagimitan Planters Association (KAPIHAPA), San Jose Don Mariano Marcos Farmers Association (SADOMMARFA), and Caidjan Tribal Farmers Association, Inc. (CTFAI) will implement interventions that bring together forest restoration, sustainable livelihoods, biodiversity conservation, and community stewardship.
The grants will support agroforestry and tree crop integration, including abaca, cacao, coffee, fruit-bearing, indigenous, and high-value native species. These will be complemented by assisted natural regeneration, soil and water conservation, and forest protection activities such as community patrolling, resource monitoring, and threat mapping.
The projects will also strengthen forest-based enterprises, particularly through abaca and other non-timber forest products, with support for nursery development, enterprise management, market linkages, and organizational capacity building. Site mapping, conservation zoning, and riparian protection will further help safeguard important areas within the landscape.
More than financial assistance, the SFM Grants are an investment in communities as active partners in restoring, protecting, and sustainably managing their forests.
As these plans move into implementation, the BD Corridor Project continues to demonstrate that conservation and community development can move forward togetherβcreating healthier forests and more resilient communities across Eastern Mindanao.The activity was supported by Forest Foundation Philippines (FFP) and PALEC and Amigos Urban Environ Forestry Support Services, strengthening partnerships for community-led sustainable forest management.
Tayo ang tulay, saribuhay!