Ellalyn B. De Vera Manila Bulletin 25 May 11;
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) through the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau (PAWB) has expanded the conservation of 109 threatened species in about 400,000 hectares of conservation sites nationwide.
The five-year New Conservation Areas in the Philippines Project (NewCAPP) aims to expand the protected areas system to recognize new conservation areas, such as those managed by the indigenous peoples, local communities, and local government units, said NewCAPP project manager Folay Eleazar.
“If recognized and strengthened, they offer more flexible and doable management regimes, and enormous potential to make biodiversity conservation in the country more effective and sustainable,” PAWB Director Dr. Theresa Mundita Lim said.
Lim said one of the pilot areas under the project, the Mts. Balbalan-Balbalasang in Abra, is overlayed with a Certificate of Ancestral Domain Claim held by the indigenous peoples, “making conservation more effective through their traditional culture and practices.”
Mts. Balbalan-Balbalasang harbors newly-discovered species, such as the Rafflesia (Rafflesia banaona malabrigo), a floral species of the largest flower in the world.
The area is also being managed by the indigenous peoples, which falls under the category of indigenous community conservation areas (ICCAs).
The NewCAPP led by PAWB with assistance from the United Nations Development Programme and the Global Environment Facility (GEF) was launched as part of the national celebration of International Day for Biological Diversity (IDBD) observed every 22nd day of May and in line with declaration of 2011 as International Year of Forests (IYF) by the United Nations.
The GEF has provided US$3.5 million grant for the project's implementation.
Eleazar said the project intends conserved 109 threatened species from the nine key biodiversity areas that have already been selected as pilot sites for the NewCAPP.
The pilot sites were Balbalan-Balbalasang National Park in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), Zambales Mountains in Regions 1 and 3, Mts. Irid Angelo and Binuang in Region 4A, Polilio Group of Islands, also in Region 4A, Mts. Iglit Baco National Park in Region 4B, Nug as Lantoy in Region 7, Mt. Nacolod in Region 8, Mt. Hilong-hilong in Region 13, and Tawi-tawi Island in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).
