Community forest rights in Philippines

In 1995, the Philippines institutionalized the Community-Based Forest Management (CBFM) Program as a national strategy to protect and manage forests. Upland communities were organized into People's Organizations (POs) to protect and manage hectares of forestlands. In turn, they were granted equitable access and incentives to forest resources as a sustainable means of livelihood.

Twenty-five years later, Forest Foundation Philippines, with the support of Tropenbos International, talked to POs, Non-Governmental Organizations, and academic institutions on the outcomes and realities of the CBFM strategy. What can we learn from the experiences, and most importantly, how can we strengthen CBFM in future?