APAMO against bidding for co-management of national parks

edilberto romero

The Forest Department announced last week that environmental groups that co-manage national parks and archaeological sites may soon get the ink on the dotted line of these agreements. But Chief Forest Officer Wilbur Sabido also pointed out that a bidding process along with the expertise of those non- governmental organizations will play a role in determining whether or not they will continue to manage the facilities.  This new process could have far reaching implications for those organizations that have been struggling with the government over commercial developments in protected areas. Earlier today, the Chairman of the Association of Protected Areas Management Organization told News Five that he doesn’t support the bidding process because it could lock out all community based organizations from managing sites within their villages.

Edilberto Romero, Chairman, APAMO

“A bidding process is good for private businesses, long term forest licenses. I think that would be good for that. I don’t see them doing that; I see them signing concessions just like that. So I don’t know why the double standard in my opinion. I think it goes contrary to the National Policy and System Plan on protected areas, which calls for community participation.  It calls for community based organizations to participate in the management of protected areas and to benefit from protected areas. Some of them have received funding from PACT to implement activities but not to pay their salaries. They have been doing this voluntarily so if the idea is to take it away from then CBO’s then APAMO is completely in disagreement to that.”

Jose Sanchez

“A place like the community baboon sanctuary, that is really run by the people who live in that area. Could they afford to compete in a bidding process?”

Edilberto Romero

“I don’t think the CBO’s would be able to compete with international organizations or even with private businesses that have other motives other than the interest of protected areas management. It would not be good for them. I think what the government should do and what the Forest Department should do is strengthen the management of CBO’s that are managing protected areas so that they can do a better management and so that the communities can benefit from protected areas management.”

Romero says that although many community based organizations receive funding for programs, they do not receive salaries from donors such as PACT.  Most of the co-management work in protected areas has been done on a voluntary basis by CBO’s.