The Bukidnon experience in natural resource management decentralization

The Province of Bukidnon in north-central Mindanao is the largest of Region X and the eight largest in the country sits on the 829,378 hectares of land that comprises the watersheds of six of the islands major river catchments. Economic endeavors of its people, particularly those occupying its watersheds, have caused significant degradation of the environment and natural resource base. Despite threats of natural calamities, the drive to earn and generate subsistence livelihood prevails. The Provincial Government, which is aware and concerned about these trends, welcomes the decentralization of natural resource management through the Local Government Code of 1991. Several approaches have been put in place to ensure that problems attendant to socio-economic development can be appropriately addressed.