The Philippines Action Plan to Combat Desertification, Land Degradation, Drought and Poverty - Combating Desertification in Asia, Africa and the Middle East - page 300

4.3 Policy-Induced

Inefficiency and improper land utilization can be attributed to the lack of a rational,
comprehensive and updated national and local land use plan that will delineate lands
for agriculture, biodiversity, human settlements and industries/ commercial centers.
Non-delineation of lands resulted to illegal conversions of agricultural lands to
nonagricultural lands, displacements of rural communities and entry of commercial
establishment in some ecologically fragile lands. Proving in court that the land is
illegally converted would require a very long process of litigation.
Boundary between forestlands and alienable and disposable lands are not clearly
delineated resulting to complication in enforcement of land use laws and monitoring
of land use changes. Illegal logging, shifting cultivation, and encroachment of
dwellers in forested areas are rampant. Other effects would include low land
productivity, squatting and possible establishment of industries and settlements
within ecologically critical areas. In areas where zonings are in place, zoning
ordinances are not strictly implemented partly because of the absence of police
power of concerned government agencies in enforcing land use and land conversion
laws.

5 Drought

Drought is a recurring event in the climatic system that is dictated by a water supply
and demand phenomenon. Simply defined, it is the lack of sufficient water supply to
meet requirements. Drought can strike any region at any time with varying degrees
of severity resulting in desertification. Climatological studies showed that major
drought events in the Philippines are associated with El Ni no occurrences or warm
episodes in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific. Four major drought events
in the Philippines that occurred in the twentieth century: 1982-1983, 1986-1987,
1989-1993 and 1997-1998.

5.1 Distribution and Extent of Drought Hotspots

Vulnerable areas experiencing seasonal aridity and drought simulating the condi-
tions and effects of desertification processes include the following: Major corn and
feed grain-producing areas located within the moisture-deficit, rain shadow areas
of Region 11 (General Santos City, South Cotabato, Sarangani and portions of
Davao del Sur in the southern tip of Mindanao Island). Region 2 in the Northern
tip of Luzon (sand dunes of Ilocos Region, significant portions of Tuguegarao in the
Cagayan Valley). Provinces in the western portions of the country experiencing Type
1 climate characterized by two pronounced seasons, dry and wet, with maximum