TOWARDS PROFESSIONAL CAREER FOREST RANGERS

TOWARDS PROFESSIONAL CAREER FOREST RANGERS The role of Forest Rangers in the Philippines is both essential and complex, yet their professional status remains unclear. While the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) employs some career government employees as Forest Rangers, others work as casual employees, part-time workers, or even volunteers. This mix of employment types creates confusion regarding their authority, job security, and benefits. Additionally, Barangay Ranger Officers (BROs) operate in the same forests, further complicating the structure of forest protection efforts. In contrast, the United States has a more defined system. The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) employs career Forest Rangers, some of whom serve as Law Enforcement Officers (LEOs) with police powers. However, not all the Forest Rangers in the USFS are armed or hold law enforcement responsibilities. Furthermore, the USFS is distinct from the National Park Service, which employs Park Rangers with different mandates. In the Philippines, it is impractical to separate forest and park services due to budget constraints. The former Parks and Wildlife Bureau (PAWB), now reorganized as the Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMB), once aimed for such a distinction. However, given the threats posed by armed illegal loggers, poachers, and other criminal elements, the Philippine Forest Rangers should be armed and granted police powers to effectively protect our forests. Without these powers, they remain vulnerable. To professionalize the role of the Philippine Forest Rangers, we must ensure that they become full-time, fully paid, and salaried employees with complete government benefits. A viable model to follow is the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), a civilian agency whose members are armed and possess certain police powers. This approach would ensure that the Philippine Forest Rangers are equipped to handle law enforcement roles while maintaining conservation duties. Additionally, recruitment efforts should focus on indigenous peoples, tenured migrants, and informal settlers already residing in forest areas. Many of these individuals, including former slash-and-burn farmers (kaingeros) and charcoal makers, could be employed as official protectors of the environment. By giving them a legitimate source of income, illegal activities could be curtailed, and conservation efforts strengthened. Moreover, while the protection of mangrove areas and coastal forests should primarily fall under the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), support from the PCG would be beneficial in securing these ecosystems from destruction. Lastly, the Civil Service Commission (CSC) should ensure that the Philippine Forest Rangers have employment protection and career progression opportunities. Perhaps this new agency could coexist with the BMB, but with clearer mandates and legal authority. The time has come to professionalize and empower our Forest Rangers. By addressing employment status, legal authority, and recruitment strategies, we can build a sustainable and effective forest protection force. Without this shift, our forests will remain at the mercy of illegal loggers, poachers, and environmental degradation. The call to action is clear—it's time to establish a professional career pathway for the Philippine Forest Rangers. Ramon Ike V. Seneres, www.facebook.com/ike.seneres iseneres@yahoo.com, 09088877282, senseneres.blogspot.com 04-15-2025