The DENR-UNDP/GEF Biodiversity Corridor Project (BD Corridor Project), together with the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) Provincial and Community Service Centers, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Mindoro Biodiversity Corridor (MBC) Project Management Unit, conducted Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) last September 24 and October 1, 2025 in Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro and Mamburao & Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro, respectively.
The FGDs centered on assessing the level of institutional capacity of the NCIP in the following areas: a) conceptualization and formulation of policies, legislation, strategies, and programs; b) implementation of policies, legislation, strategies, and programs; c) engagement and consensus building among stakeholders; d) mobilization of information and knowledge; and, e) monitoring, evaluation, reporting, and learning.
Participants of the FGDs were NCIP provincial office and service center staff, including Chiefs and field staff, who openly shared their perspectives and experiences from field operations, especially when dealing directly with Indigenous Peoples. They emphasized that, in order to gain the community’s trust, personnel must respect and observe their culture and beliefs.
Findings indicate that the NCIP provincial offices were strong in partnering with local government units, non-government organizations, and academic institutions to acquire the needed technical and financial resources for IP communities and ancestral domain initiatives in the local areas of Mindoro.
The NCIP staff also expressed that they would like to improve their skills in monitoring and learning from different innovations on the subject of planning and implementation of the BD Corridor Project in the MBC.
This initiative is part of the DENR-UNDP/GEF Project on “Integrated Approach in the Management of Major Biodiversity Corridors in the Philippines” or BD Corridor Project, which 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. 🌱🗣️
