Last October 5 to 7, 2025, the Eastern Mindanao Biodiversity Corridor Summit 2025 (EMBC Summit 2025) was held with the theme “Connecting Landscapes, Empowering Communities: Advancing Integrated Ecosystem Management for a Resilient Eastern Mindanao Biodiversity Corridor.” Part of the Summit’s program were a series of plenary discussions that focused on Integrated Ecosystem Management (IEM) strategies aimed at harmonizing conservation and development goals.
Dr. Ernesto Guiang, Technical Advisor to the BD Corridor Project, framed IEM as an approach requiring integrated management of interconnected land, water, and living resources across administrative boundaries. His insights stressed the importance of embedding IEM vertically into national policies and horizontally into local governance structures for effective implementation.
Ms. Evangeline Dacumos, representing the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Soil and Water Management (DA-BSWM), emphasized Sustainable Land Management (SLM) as a “multi-solving” approach addressing national priorities while fulfilling global commitments under the Rio Conventions and Sustainable Development Goals. Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) was upheld by Ms. Kenneth Almarines of the DENR Forest Management Bureau (DENR-FMB), who underscored the need for long-term financing and policy reforms to support forest restoration through initiatives like agroforestry, ecotourism, and carbon projects.
Ms. Evangeline Dacumos (left) and Ms. Kenneth Almarines (right) highlight the significance of SLM and SFM respectively in terms of these strategies being a long-term commitment
Highlighting the Philippine Eagle’s critical role in ecosystem conservation, Dr. Jayson Ibañez of the Philippine Eagle Foundation, Inc. showed how protecting this flagship species safeguards broader forest ecosystems and fosters multi-sectoral collaboration. He presented innovative efforts combining scientific research and indigenous knowledge to map and protect the eagle’s habitats in Eastern Mindanao.
The EMBC Summit 2025 has clearly established itself as a dynamic platform where science, culture, and policy converge to safeguard one of the Philippines’ most vital ecological treasures. With events such as this Summit, the spirit of collaboration and innovation shows promise to drive meaningful action towards a more resilient and sustainable future for Eastern Mindanao.
This initiative is part of the DENR-UNDP/GEF Project “Integrated Approach in the Management of Major Biodiversity Corridors in the Philippines” or BD Corridor Project, which aims 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 🤝🏞️
