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CURRENT STATE OF PHILIPPINE FORESTRY INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM Ramon A. Razal, PhD Dean College of Forestry and Natural Resources University of the Philippines Los Baños College, Laguna 4031 PHILIPPINES Tel. No. (63-49) 536-3996 Fax. No. (63-49) 536-3206 Email: [email protected] and Renato L. Lapitan, PhD Director Institute of Renewable Natural Resources College of Forestry and Natural Resources University of the Philippines Los Baños College, Laguna 4031 PHILIPPINES Tel. No. (63-49) 536-3996 Fax. No. (63-49) 536-3206 Email: [email protected] Background Information: * Advent of computerization in the Philippines started as early as 1969 punctuated by the creation of the National Computer Center (NCC) in 1971 through Executive Order 332; NCC mission: “Charged with the task of establishing computerization capacities in the government, which covered conceptualization, design and development, implementation and human resource development.” In July 1994, President Fidel V. Ramos approved the National Information Technology (NIT) Plan. The National Information Technology Council (NITC) was constituted to oversee the implementation of the NIT Plan, now called the IT Action Agenda for the 21st Century (IT21), the country's blueprint for IT development. IT21 was approved on October 28 1997, as the Philippines‘ guide for IT development in the country over the next 7 to 15 years. The IT21 plan sets forth an agenda to : * Develop the information infrastructure for interconnection and networking within the country ; * Improve the government's capacity and efficiency in adopting IT to help in the country’s governance and spur the growth of the Philippine IT industry; * Develop and adopt IT in education, in both the public and private sectors, including training institutions, to create a critical mass of IT professionals and an IT-literate workforce; and * Upgrade available IT resources in the local R&D sector. IT Development in the Forestry Sector: 1. The evolution of the Decision Support System Office (DSSO) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) reflects IT development in the Department; 2. DSSO started as Electronic Data Processing Center in the early 1970s and was later changed by Pres. Corazon Aquino to Management Information Systems Division. It was tasked to generate reports and serve as “post office” and information clearing house with an added responsibility of providing decision system options to DENR officials. CURRENT INITIATIVES: 1. DENR maintains a document tracking system that monitors incoming and outgoing documents; 2. DENR has also a Wide Area Network (WAN) that links all Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Offices (PENROs), Community Environment and Natural Resources Offices (CENROs) and Central Office; 3. The Department also utilizes Telemetry that makes it possible to measure data from the field, even at remote locations, which are then recorded in the Central Office; 4. The Department likewise tracks its financial transactions through the Financial Management System linked to other offices such as Accounting, Budget, Personnel, Cashier and the Commission on Audit. It also has a Confiscation database to monitor volume of timber confiscated; 5. On the side of the academe and the private sector, the increased mobility and portability of cellular telephony, local area and wide area networks provide a rich environment for open communication and exchange of information; and 6. The passage of Republic Act 8792, also known as ECommerce Act of 2000, accelerated the pace for conducting public consultations since the concerned stakeholders have found another means of expressing their opinion through the net. ON-GOING PROJECTS on ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES: 1. Amphibians of the Philippines. Listing of amphibians by species and family name. ASEAN Regional Center for Biodiversity Conservation (ARCBC); 2. ARCBC Database. A database referral system of the ASEAN Regional Center for Biodiversity Conservation which links national and international institutions and agencies working on biodiversity conservation to the ARCBC network, and possibly with the ASEAN web network where appropriate; 3. Birds of the Philippines. ARCBC’s listing of birds in the Philippines by species name and English name linked to species information. ASEAN Regional Center for Biodiversity Conservation (ARCBC); 4. Environment and Natural Resources (ENR) Directory. A metadata base of environment and natural resources and related information databases, spatial datasets (digital and analog format), projects, bibliographies, audio-visual production materials. National Mapping and Resource Information Administration (NAMRIA); 5. Forestry Statistics. Statistics on forestry resources, forest activities, forestry production. Forest Management Bureau (FMB); 6. Protected Areas in the Philippines. Partial list of Protected areas in the Philippines. Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau); 7. Studies on Ecosystems. List, with brief description, of studies on various ecosystems. Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau (ERDB); 8. Wildlife resources. Philippine Wild Flora and Fauna for priority protection, Philippine distribution. Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau (PAWB); 9. Mammals of the Philippines. ARCBC’s listing of mammals in the Philippines by species name and family and links to species information. ASEAN Regional Center for Biodiversity Conservation (ARCBC); 10. Timber Trade flow database. List of timber sourcing and pricing in the country. Forest Management Bureau, Department of Environment and Natural Resources. 11. Database on Upland Non-Governmental Organizations by the Upland Non-Governmental Organization Action Committee (UNAC). CONCLUDING REMARKS: Managing our Forestry Information System contributes to good governance by: 1. Increasing transparency, information, and accountability; 2. Facilitating accurate decision-making and public participation; and 3. Enhancing efficient delivery of government services; Currently, the national and local governments are implementing various IT initiatives for managing their resources (human, natural and knowledge) to maximize their potential to contribute to national development.