Pursuant to Executive Order No. 192, dated June 10, 1987 (Reorganizing the DENR), Executive Order No. 318, dated June 9, 2004 (Promoting Sustainable Forest Management in the Philippines), the Joint DENR-DILG Memorandum Circulars (JMC) Nos. 2003-01 (Strengthening and Institutionalizing the DENR-DILG-LGU Partnership on Devolved and Other Forest Management Functions), Administrative Order No. 99-01 (Adoption of the Watershed and Ecosystem Planning Framework), and in order to provide a mechanism to effectively adopt and implement collaborative approach to watershed management, this Administrative Order is hereby issued.

SECTION 1. Basic Policy - Sustainable management of the watersheds is a basic policy of Government. Watershed as an ecosystem and as basic planning and management unit shall be developed in a holistic, scientific, rights-based, technology-based, community-based and collaborative manner.

SECTION 2. Objectives - This Order has the following objectives:

2.1 To ensure the sustainable use of watershed resources;

2.2 To encourage meaningful and active participation of stakeholders within the watershed; and

2.3 To ultimately establish a sustainable and multi-sectoral institution capable of addressing natural resources issues in the watershed.

SECTION 3. Scope and Coverage - This Order shall cover all watersheds/river basins irrespective of classification, size and use, and administrative jurisdictions.

SECTION 4. Key Concepts and Principles -

4.1 Ecosystem-Based Watershed Management - Ecosystem-based management involves managing multi-dimensional issues within the watershed. It recognizes that people are part of the environment and are dependent on the ecosystems' health for their basic needs. Therefore, it considers the non-physical dimensions of human life - culture, politics, and economics. In the physical sense, the watershed as an ecosystem includes the areas from the forest, upland, lowland, built-up areas, freshwater, down to the coastal areas.

4.2 Collaborative and Integrative Management - Collaborative and integrative management involves the participation of all stakeholders in management actions and the sharing of resources among different sectors and disciplines, in arriving at decisions that are acceptable to all.

Collaborative management is the convergence/complementation of resources - people, knowledge, information, skills, technology, and time to produce results that are greater than individual efforts put together. The essence of the collaborative process is ensuring that all stakeholders are able to participate in decision-making, planning, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation. Mandated agencies, concerned communities, businesses, industries, civil society, indigenous people, women, and youth are represented.

Integrative management is inclusive. It implies working with available resources while constantly aiming to cover within its scope of management a variety of interests and concerns. It uses consensus-based decision-making to accommodate the interests of all stakeholders and win everyone's commitment towards the achievement of common goals.

4.3 Capacity Enhancement - Enhancement efforts are directed at increasing the capacity of stakeholders in watershed management by working with concerned agencies, local organizations, using structured and non-structured learning processes. This means, among others, improving the knowledge, skills, technology and attitude of stakeholders.

4.4 Environmental Governance Principles - In the process of implementing this Order the following governance principles shall be followed: Responsive, Participatory, Accountable, Transparent, Systematic/Scientific, and Sustainable.

SECTION 5. Processes Involved in Collaborative Management -

5.1 Scoping/documentation of issues. This requires the review and validation of all available documents/materials and issues that are relevant to watershed management. This shall be made in collaboration with concerned communities, social development organizations, civil society, and government agencies at the national and local levels. Issues and approaches shall be documented and a Brief Paper shall be prepared.

5.2 Identification of Key Stakeholders - This requires the conduct of appropriate activities or forum identifying a list of potential key stakeholders. Identified key stakeholders shall be consulted and be made to affirm their interests to participate in collaborative management. This is similar to stakeholder analysis.

5.3 Formation of multi-sectoral group/body - After the confirmation of participation and agreement to organize a multi-sectoral body, the stakeholders shall among themselves enter into a Memorandum of Agreement or Understanding (MOA/MOU). In case there are already existing structures or organizations, i.e., Protected Area Management Boards and similar institutions, these structures or organizations shall be tapped to implement the collaborative endeavor.

5.4 Facilitation of multi-sectoral Action Planning - The multi-sectoral body shall convene to outline a multi-sectoral action plan based on identified priority issues. Multi-stakeholder groups' roles and functions, in relation to the action plan, will also be identified.

5.5 Design of specific intervention - The Multi-Sectoral Action Plan shall be reviewed, validated and finalized. Intervention programs shall then be outlined on a per-issue based component of the Action Plan.

5.6 Facilitation of support intervention - Systems, procedures and guidelines shall be identified, established and made operational to implement designed specific interventions. This shall include well-defined roles, responsibilities and accountabilities of the established formal organization. Further expansion, for collaborative actions with other appropriate organizations, shall be made whenever needed.

5.7 Monitoring, Evaluation and Adjustment - A Monitoring, Evaluation and Adjustment (ME and A) system shall be established, institutionalized and made operational from the start of this process. The system shall ensure appropriate tracking of progress and feedback mechanism in implementing the Action Plan and the multi-sectoral collaborative process. The issuance of timely ME and A reports shall be made. This system shall continue to be enhanced, while being utilized, to keep it more relevant and responsive to the need for documentation, adjustments and forecasting.

SECTION 6. Implementation - The DENR shall be the primary agency in the implementation of this Order. This shall be done in collaboration with the concerned Local Government Units (LGUs) and relevant agencies other than DENR.

SECTION 7. Transitory Provision - Prior to the implementation of this Order, a Manual of Procedures shall be prepared, and the necessary orientation to the Department and other stakeholders to mainstream this approach in the regular watershed management programs/projects shall be conducted. The Forest Management Bureau (FMB) shall take the lead in facilitating the mainstreaming process with the support of other existing projects being tapped to provide technical assistance. The FMB shall prepare a plan of action for the performance of these preparatory activities and coordinate with the concerned projects and other DENR units to ensure timely delivery of results.

SECTION 8. Repealing Clause - This Order repeals all existing orders, circulars, and instructions inconsistent herewith.

SECTION 9. Separability Clause - If any provision of this order is declared void and illegal, the remaining provisions thereof, not affected thereby, shall remain in full force and effect.

SECTION 10. Effectivity - This Order shall take effect after fifteen (15) days from the date of publication in a newspaper of general circulation and upon acknowledgement from the Office of the National Administrative Register (ONAR).

Adopted: 14 Nov. 2005

(SGD.) MICHAEL T. DEFENSOR
Secretary