A non-government organization (NGO) in Palawan denounced a recent statement issued by the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD) saying kaingin (slash-and-burn) farming is the biggest cause of deforestation in Palawan.
The Environmental Legal Assistance Center (ELAC) said in a press statement that it is seriously concerned over the narrative being promoted by PCSD, “which disproportionately blames kaingin (upland swidden farming) as the primary cause of environmental degradation in Palawan.”
ELAC issued the statement in reaction to a post on the official Facebook page of PCSD stating that, based on a study conducted in 2022, at least 4,736 hectares of land located 100 meters above sea level and inside a watershed area in Brooke’s Point were cleared for kaingin farming.
It added that the staff is still conducting more thorough research to identify further effects of kaingin farming on deforestation in the town and other areas in the southern part of Palawan.
The post also stated that the biggest affected area is the Tigaplan Watershed, where 2,761 hectares were cleared, followed by the Tamlang Watershed with 900 hectares, and Ipilan with 865 hectares. The Filantropia-Calasaguen area was least affected, with 210 hectares.
“This oversimplified framing lacks nuance and overlooks the PCSD’s own mandate and accountability in managing the province’s ecological challenges,” ELAC said.
ELAC also stated that while it does not deny that certain kaingin farming practices are beyond traditional, sustainable swidden agriculture, it cannot also be denied that there are methods that are not in accordance with traditional ways.
It further stated that kaingin farming that uses destructive land clearing is often rooted in poverty, land insecurity, and policy neglect, which need to be addressed, noting that such practices must be regulated by concerned government agencies such as the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the PCSD, and local government units (LGUs).
“It is misleading and unjust to place the blame solely on small upland farmers and Indigenous Peoples (IPs) who have practiced sustainable land management for generations. This scapegoating diverts attention from the real issues, which are weak enforcement, inadequate resource allocation, and the exclusion of affected communities from decision-making processes,” ELAC stated.
The group also urged PCSD, being a government agency mandated to promote sustainable development in the province through participatory governance and preservation of ecological integrity.
“Its failure to fully implement and enforce the SEP Law—especially in establishing guidelines for sustainable livelihoods and community-based forest management—has left communities vulnerable and ecosystems at risk,” it said.
Moreover, ELAC sought several other actions from the council that include the full implementation of Republic Act 7611 or the Strategic Environmental Plan (SEP) for Palawan; recognition, support, and protection of traditional sustainable farming practices through research and policy integration; an end to the criminalization and scapegoating of upland farmers and Indigenous communities; and action to tackle the true drivers of environmental degradation, including unregulated extractive industries, unchecked land conversion, and poor enforcement of environmental regulations.
“Palawan’s environmental future cannot be secured by marginalizing those who have long been its stewards. Real progress requires transparent governance, inclusive dialogue, science-based policy rooted in justice, and a deep respect for Indigenous and traditional knowledge,” it said.
In a recent press conference, PCSD Staff Executive Director Atty. Teodoro Jose Matta also disclosed the same study, where he said more than 4,000 hectares are “lost every year to kaingin, human settlements, and agricultural expansion.”
“And what are the causes or the underlying cause for these activities? It’s poverty. Poverty is the main cause why there are drivers for deforestation. There are a lot of genuine socio-economic programs to uplift our grassroots, our Palaweños, from poverty. And that is why they stick to the hinterlands, the forests—they burn it down and clear it—because there is no viable income for them in our municipalities,” he explained, noting that if expanded to other municipalities, the threat of deforestation is far bigger.
