This is an abstract to my economic research during my undergraduate years. Sharing this to you all for your comments,critiques, and suggestions.

1. MEASURING THE DEFORESTATION RATE OF MOUNT DATA NATIONAL PARK
(MDNP): AN EMPIRICAL ESTIMATION*
Patac, Jayson Rex A.
Bautista, Analyn
Paca, Eleanor D.1
Navarro, Gladys M. 1
Abstract
More than 9 million hectares of forests are lost globally each year, whereas forests provide
multiple economic, environmental, social and cultural functions. Forests contribute directly to
achieving two of the Millennium Goals, namely reducing extreme poverty and ensuring
environmental sustainability (FAO 2008). The Philippines have become one of the hardest hit by
natural disasters because of deforestation. With 2/3 of its forests deforested for the 5 past
decades, the country attained one of the highest deforestation rates in the world. The Philippines
was Asia’s most bountiful provider of rainforest timber during the 20th century. In MDNP,
approximately 29% of its total land area only remains as a forest land. Agricultural cultivation is
the most common land use of the park. Occupancy within the park could not be ejected because
of the issuance of pertinent decrees prescribing rules and regulations governing the occupancy
and use of the area. The paper is sought to estimate the rate of deforestation in Mount Data
National Park. Agricultural encroachment tends to be associated with the deforestation of the
area. It is the major cause of the forest loss over the year, ever since it is declared as protected
area. The empirical analysis tests the effects of household characteristics to estimating the rate.
Two different methods of regression are used to come up with the analysis. The comparison of
the rates suggests that these variables, household characteristics, are significantly affecting the
deforestation of the park. However, in order to come up with rate that reflects the factual and
accurate reason for the deforestation of the park, other variables deemed to affect the
deforestation are still to be considered.
Keywords: deforestation rate, household characteristics, agricultural encroachment
* This paper is in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the Economic Research subject.
1
Eleanor D. Paca (lead) and Gladys M. Navarro are the research advisers.