The DENR-UNDP/GEF Biodiversity Corridor Project organized a series of writeshops designed to amplify the role of Biodiversity-Friendly Enterprises (BDFEs) in biodiversity corridors as a path towards opportunities for community empowerment.
Held across the Mindoro Biodiversity Corridor (MBC) and Eastern Mindanao Biodiversity Corridor (EMBC), these writeshops were not just training sessions; but rather a consolidation of ideas, partnerships, and aspirations, all aimed at equipping community-based organizations with tools to pursue sustainable, biodiversity-conscious livelihoods.
Strengthening Capacities through Partners
From August 6 to 8, the MBC Project Management Unit (PMU) conducted two writeshops—one in Roxas, Oriental Mindoro, and another in Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro. These sessions gathered a diverse group of participants which included representatives from People’s Organizations (POs), Indigenous People’s Organizations (IPOs), Local Government Units (LGUs), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), and technical staff from the DENR Community Environment and Natural Resources Offices (CENROs).
A total of 8 POs/IPOs were present at the writeshop in Oriental Mindoro and 7 POs/IPOs in Occidental Mindoro whose BDFEs include ecotourism, handicrafts, agricultural products, and product processing and selling.
Throughout the sessions, participants learned the fundamentals of business planning, proposal writing, and enterprise development, aimed specifically toward biodiversity-friendly practices. The training also encouraged collaboration between communities and government agencies, setting the stepping stones for stronger support systems and more concrete project proposals in the future.
A similar writeshop was also held on August 4 to 8 in Butuan City, Agusan del Norte, by the EMBC-PMU, for organizations from Surigao del Norte and Surigao del Sur. This event reiterated the objectives of the simultaneous writeshop in Mindoro, providing training and support to POs, IPOs, LGUs, and partner institutions involved in planning BDFEs.
A total of 14 POs/IPOs, 9 from Surigao del Sur and 5 from Surigao del Norte, joined the event and proposed BDFEs such as sustainable forestry, agri-tourism, ecotourism, sustainable agriculture, and handicrafts.
A key highlight of the event was the proposal presentation, where participants showcased their draft project proposals to a review panel. The panel consisted of representatives from the Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the Provincial Government of Surigao del Sur, the Biodiversity Corridor Project National Project Management Unit (NPMU) and BDFE Specialist. Their feedback and recommendations proved vital to help refine the proposals and move them closer towards implementation.
Crossing Over to the Future
While BDFEs play an important role in protecting biodiversity, their impact goes far beyond the environment. They represent a meaningful avenue for communities to improve their quality of life through sustainable and inclusive development. The writeshops highlighted that BDFEs are more than just a concept—they are a movement. Similar to how biodiversity corridors function to reconnect fragmented habitats and ecosystems, BDFEs reconnect communities with nature, culture, and each other.
By investing in capacitating local organizations and encouraging collaborations, the DENR-UNDP/GEF Biodiversity Corridor Project continues to build pathways where both people and nature can thrive—together.
The Integrated Approach in the Management of Major Biodiversity Corridors in the Philippines, or DENR-UNDP/GEF BD Corridor Project seeks to operationalize integrated management of biodiversity corridors to generate multiple benefits, including effective conservation of globally threatened species and high conservation value forests, reduce deforestation and degradation, and enhance local biodiversity-friendly livelihoods. The project is implemented by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme and funded by the Global Environment Facility. 🌱🍃
