Tenurial arrangements and forest resource management in Haliap, Kiangan, Ifugao, Northern Philippines

Date

1993

Abstract

The study aimed to determine the impact of market economy, population pressure, and the imposition of statutory law and policies on the Ifugao tenurial arrangements and forest resource management system in Haliap, Kiangan, Ifugao in northern Philippines.Results indicate that there are two conflicting tenurial arrangements operating in the village, namely : the statutory and the customary. The syncretic co-existence of the two is manifested in the manner by which different users (state, Haliap residents, non-Haliap residents, and speculators/outsiders) of village forest resources enforce their claim/exclude other users. At the village level, the customary laws, procedure and processes continue to operate. In dealing with non-Haliap users, the people utilize tax declarations issued by the state to protect their claim and property rights to resources. Certainty of the observance of property rights and the implementation and enforcement of state laws are however not clear as far as the speculators are concerned. The inability of the villagers to enforce their customary claims and the inability of the local government to protect the indigenous communities nor to enforce the laws led to the eventual breakdown of institutions that govern the utilization of forest resources in the village. This results to institutional limbo which undermine the assurance and protection of their access and property rights thus eroding motivations to protect and maintain their agroforestry system (muyong/pinusio). The lack of market, infrastructure, credit and technical assistance further lessen the economic/ecological viability of the indigenous agroforestry system.

Document Type

Master Thesis

Degree

Master of Science in Environmental Science

College

School of Environmental Science and Management (SESAM)

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