Description

Abstract: The policy link of national and local government units in natural resource management (NRM) is a crucial factor to the state of a country’s natural resources. It therefore becomes imperative to examine the mandates of both levels of government and pose the question: What are the implications of policy gaps and lapses in effecting NRM within a local jurisdiction vis-a-vis a national management regime?

In this context, the paper will provide insights on how natural resource management is constrained or facilitated by the country’s policy and institutional framework. It reviews the Philippines’ Local Government Code (Republic Act 7160 of 1991); as well as the mandates of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and other national based institutions concerned with NRM policy in the Philippines. Recommendations for policy reforms for a better-coordinated and more sustainable NRM are also cited.