Payments for Environmental Services (PES) is an emerging conservation mechanism which involves beneficiaries and providers of environmental services (ES) such as biodiversity conservation, watershed protection, carbon sequestration, and landscape/seascape beauty. It creates a market where ES are the goods, ES beneficiaries are the buyers, and ES providers are the sellers. PES stands out from other conservation tools in that it generates its own funding, focuses on those areas that really need attention, and is dependent on the need that drives the ES beneficiaries to conserve the environment for the secured provision of ES and not on donors and NGOs. Furthermore, several studies examined the potential of PES to alleviate poverty and promote equity between the downstream and upland communities.
Although PES has long been studied, the concept is still unpopular to most communities at the grassroots level. ICRAF recognized the need to inform the stakeholders of the Layawan Watershed how PES can help in the conservation of the watershed, especially that a PES scheme might be pilot-tested in the area. In this regard, a seminar on Payments for Environmental Services was conducted last June 4-5, 2012 at the Civic Hall, Oroquieta Town Center, Oroquieta City.
The objective of the seminar was to deepen the understanding of the stakeholders of Layawan Watershed on PES as a sustainable financing mechanism for environmental conservation. The seminar also aimed to evaluate the level of awareness of the participants about PES.
The activity started with the introduction of participants led by Ms. Myranel Salvador of UPLB. This was followed by a brief background on the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) presented by Mr. Leo Kris Palao, a researcher from ICRAF. Afterwards, a lecture on PES was then delivered by Ms. Kharmina Paola Anit, also a researcher from ICRAF. The seminar discussed the rationale of PES - who the buyers and sellers are, what environmental services commonly involved in PES schemes are, and what necessary conditions for PES are. The positive features as well as limitations of PES were also discussed.
The first day of the seminar was attended by representatives from the local communities including chairpersons from barangays within the Layawan Watershed, irrigator association and media representatives, and Subanen tribal leaders. A total of 21 participants attended the half-day seminar. On the second day, 13 participants representing non-government organizations (NGOs), local government units (LGUs) of Oroquieta City the municipal government of Aloran, a women's organization, NCIP, DENR, Oroquieta City Water District attended.
PES is a promising mechanism to sustainably finance environmental conservation. To ensure that stakeholders voluntarily take part in this type of market, they must fully understand the concept of PES, how it works and how they can benefit from it.
