| Main Governing Policies | DENR Administrative Order No. 1999-53 |
| Qualified Participants[3,4] | Applicants for IFMA shall be:
- Filipino citizen of legal age; or
- Partnership, cooperative or corporation whether public or private, duly registered under Philippine laws
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| Period of Tenure [3] | 25 years, renewable for another 25 years |
| Application Requirements [1,2.3,8] |
- Duly accomplished and notarized Application Form
- Certified copy of Certificate of Registration (e.g. SEC, CDA) or Articles of Incorporation and By-laws and list of current officers and stockholders duly certified by the Board Secretary
- Audited financials statements for the last two (2) preceding years
- Proof of financial and technical capability to undertake initial activities in forest plantation establishment and development
- Application Fee
- Board resolution authorizing any of the officers to file the application in behalf of the corporation, cooperative and/or partnership, duly certified by the Board Secretary
- Sketch map of the area subject of application
- Endorsement from Local Government Unit (LGU)
- Appropriate clearance from NCIP
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| Available Areas[3] | Areas Available for Integrated Forest Management Program (IFMP):
- Open and denuded lands, brushlands, degraded residual natural forests
- Areas covered by cancelled/ expired Forest Land Grazing Agreement
- Government reforestation projects or portions thereof found to be more suitable or can be better developed as IFP
- Production residual natural forest that may be best included in any of the aforementioned areas and be a part of the managed forest under the IFMA
- Areas under cancelled and expired TLAs
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| Where to Apply[3] | Community Environment and Natural Resources Office/ Implementing Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office |
| Approving Authority[6] | DENR Secretary |
| Applicable Fees[3,5] |
- Application Fee
- Government Share (negotiated amount between DENR and IFMA Holder)
- Surcharge
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| Incentives and Privileges[3] |
- All planted trees and other crops established pursuant to an IFMA belong to the IFMA Holder who shall have the right to harvest, sell and utilize such trees and crops in whatever marketable form(s) and in whatever legal manner(s)
- Allow without restriction the IFMA Holder to export logs, lumber and other forest products derived from IFMA area
- All plantation products derived from an IFMA Area shall be exempted from forest charges
- Entitlement to all relevant incentives provided for under the Omnibus Investment Code and all applicable incentives enumerated under Section 36 of PD 705, as amended
- Transfer developed plantations that are at least three (3) years old to a cooperative upon fair compensation of payment thereof by the cooperative itself or through financing institution or to open up public investment
- Use stable plantation crops that are at least three (3) years old as collateral or security for loans offered by government development banks, financial institutions, or government-owned and controlled corporations
- An IFMA Holder who has satisfactorily complied with the terms and conditions of this IFMA based on performance evaluation by the DENR may be allowed either (a) an additional area to existing IFMA, provided, that the resulting aggregate size of the IFMA Area shall not exceed 40,000 hectares; or (b) a new or another IFMA the maximum area of which shall not exceed 40,000 hectares.
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| Tenure Holder Responsibilities[3] |
- Conduct the delineation and marking on the ground of the perimeter boundaries of the IFMA area based on the land classification standard and establish control points on the ground following the Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM)
- Conduct of timber inventory at 5% intensity to determine the extent of the natural forest cover and the forest plantation as TLA reforestation compliance
- Submit a Comprehensive Development and Management Plan (CDMP) and an Initial Environmental Examination (IEE)
- Submit every five years up-to-date aerial photos or Landsat imageries including interpretation map covering the entire IFMA area; provided, that this condition shall be waived if such aerial photos and/or imageries were procured by the DENR, or if the IFMA area has no natural forest, or if the area regardless of vegetative cover is less than 5,000 hectares
- Implement the mitigation/ enhancement measures stipulated in the IEE and comply with the conditionalities of the ECC
- Plant principally timber-producing species compatible with the ecological and biophysical characteristics of the area, but not excluding rubber, durian and/or non-timber species like rattan and bamboo; provided, that a suitable area of at most ten percent (10%) therein may be used for agricultural purposes; provided further, that these endeavors are included and scheduled in the approved CDMP; provided finally that the total plantable area shall be planted based on the rotation period of the plantation species but not exceeding 12 years
- Manage and protect production residual natural forest in accordance with laws and regulations governing thereto and if authorized in the approved CDMP, harvest and utilized naturally grown trees therein on a sustainable basis and in accordance with the Operations Plan
- Reforests open/ denuded lands found within areas classified as protection forestlands and within twenty (20) meters strips from both sides of river/ stream banks
- Construct permanent structures and roads within the IFMA Area only in accordance with the approved CDMP and OP
- Employ as many experienced registered foresters as may be required in the major aspects of forest management, development, protection, etc. including the appointment of one of them as Forest Operations Manager or in any top-level management position; otherwise hire a DENR-accredited Forest Services Organization such as forestry consulting firm to undertake similar activities on a continuing basis
- Submit to the DENR Annual Accomplishment Report
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| Development Plans[3] |
- Comprehensive Development and Management Plan
- Operations Plan
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| Allowable Activities[3,4,7] |
- Plantation establishment in open areas
- Application of silvicultural programs such as timber stand improvement and assisted natural regeneration
- Conversion of Timber License Agreement (TLA) to IFMA
- Integration/ Consolidation of small-sized IFMA areas into cooperative, federation, or corporation
- Agroforestry (in areas identified as suitable for agriculture)
- Harvesting & transport of planted trees
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| Prohibited Activities [3] | - Cutting of trees along gullies, steep slopes, river channels and other identified critical areas
- Cutting of naturally growing trees
- Abandonment of IFMA Area
- Conduct of any operation not included in the approved CDMP or OP, or engaging in activities outside the IFMA Area without the expressed consent or authority of the Secretary
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