Establishing the Adopt-a-Wildlife Species Program and Providing the Guidelines Governing Its Implementation

DENR Administrative Order No. 2010-16

Subject: Establishing the Adopt-a-Wildlife Species Program and Providing the Guidelines Governing Its Implementation

Signed: June 17, 2010 . Published: Malaya, June 28, 2010 . Acknowledged: ONAR, U.P. Law Center, July 2010.

Purpose

Creates the Adopt-a-Wildlife Species (AAWS) Program under RA 9147 to let LGUs, companies, NGOs, POs, and individuals support in-situ conservation of threatened wildlife and their habitats, with the aim of downgrading species' threat categories or removing them from the threatened list.

Scope

All terrestrial and wetland areas, covering species under DENR jurisdiction in the Annex A List of Priority Threatened Species (drawn from the IUCN Red List, CITES, and national threatened species lists). Non-threatened species may be adopted for valid reasons with DENR approval.

How Adoption Works

• Adoption requires a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) among DENR, the Adopting Entity or Individual, and, where applicable, an Implementer.
• Adopters may directly implement a project, fund an Implementer, or contribute to an existing DENR-recognized conservation program.
• Projects follow the Philippine Threatened Species Conservation Framework (Annex B: State, Pressure, Response) and may include research, monitoring, IEC, habitat restoration, and enforcement support.

Signing Authority

• Regional Executive Directors: projects within their regions, with MOA copies, semi-annual reports, and terminal reports submitted to the Secretary.
• DENR Secretary: multi-regional or national projects, processed by PAWB (now BMB).

Requirements

Letter of intent, project proposal in the Annex D format, letters of support (PAMB, IPs, LGU as applicable), and an organizational profile or CV. Applications are reviewed by the National or Regional Wildlife Management Committee before MOA approval.

Certificate of Adoption and Funds

A Certificate of Adoption, co-terminus with the MOA, names the species, site, cost, and duration. Funds pass to the Implementer by Deed of Donation. The Implementer keeps a project account, issues receipts, and submits monthly fund utilization reports. DENR issues an annual Certificate of Actual Financial Contribution after verification.

Incentives

Contributions qualify for tax deduction from taxable income and exemption from donor's tax under Section 34 of RA 9147 and RA 8424, on presentation of the Deed of Donation and Certificate of Actual Financial Contribution to the BIR. Additional awards may be granted to outstanding participants.

Monitoring

A Project Monitoring and Evaluation Team is formed per project, including LGU, local NGO or PO, and academe representatives. Monitoring costs form part of the project cost.

Effectivity

Takes effect 15 days after publication in a newspaper of national circulation.

Relevance: a documented pathway for corporate biodiversity commitments and CSR programs to earn formal DENR recognition and tax treatment. Signatory not legible in the source copy. Summary prepared by EnviSynergy from the official DENR issuance; refer to the full text for binding provisions.