DENR Awards Financial Grant to IPO BDFEs in Davao de Oro

/ By

Monkayo, Davao de Oro – Every thriving enterprise begins with a community that dares to dream. On June 25, 2026, another milestone was achieved as the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)- Davao Region together with the DENR-UNDP/GEF Biodiversity Corridor Project- Eastern Mindanao Biodiversity Corridor (EMBC), awarded Biodiversity Friendly Enterprise (BDFE) financial grants to two Indigenous Peoples Organizations (IPOs) during the Financial Grant Awarding Ceremony held at the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) Monkayo in the municipality of  Monkayo, Davao de Oro.

Ms. Rita Fe Gunn, PENR Officer of Davao de Oro, emphasizing that the BDFE of the project is more than just livelihood assistance but also a collaborative effort that empowers indigenous communities while protecting the rich biodiversity of the Eastern Mindanao Biodiversity Corridor. 
For. Elijun Acedo reaffirmed the commitment of CENRO Monkayo to continuously provide technical assistance, monitoring, and support to the partner organization, ensuring that conservation efforts and biodiversity friendly livelihoods remain sustainable.

The grant assistance was formally received by the respective IPO chairpersons, Mr. Jerry Jake B. Hanggam of Kabalu’san Tribal Farmers Association (KATRIFA) of CADT 019, covering the ancestral domains of Maragusan and New Bataan, Davao de Oro; and Mr. Giepat L. Guay of the Compostela Forest Guards and Ecotourism Guides Farmers Association of CADT 019 in Compostela, Davao de Oro, symbolizing a shared commitment to biodiversity conservation and sustainable community development. The financial grant is aimed to assist these grantees in enhancing the quality and output of their respective enterprises.

The ceremony was witnessed by key government officials and partners, including Ms. Rita Fe Gunn, Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer (PENRO) of Davao de Oro, For. Elijun Acedo, Assistant CENR Officer of CENRO Monkayo, Ms. Marigelaine V. Arguillas, Chief of the Protected Area Management and Biodiversity Conservation Section (PAMBCS) and EMBC Focal Person of Davao Region, representatives from the DENR- Davao Region as well as  the EMBC Project Management Unit of the BD Corridor Project.

Representing the Compostela Forest Guards and Ecotourism Guides Farmers Association, Bae Raulyn Guay expresses her gratitude by emphasizing that the grant provides a valuable opportunity for their organization to strengthen its capacity, expand its initiatives, and continue growing as an Indigenous Peoples Organization.
Mr. Jerry Jake B. Hanggam, Chairperson of KATRIFA, reflecting on the challenges they encountered from the time their organization was established until reaching this milestone.

This milestone reflects the strong collaboration among the different and relevant agencies in advancing BDFEs that create lasting environmental, social, and economic benefits.

As the BD Corridor Project continues to promote sustainable livelihood rooted in conservation throughout the EMBC, the BDFE grants of the project stand  as a testament that empowering communities is one of the most effective ways to safeguard forests, protect biodiversity, and strengthen ancestral domain governance for future generation.

This story is published under the DENR-UNDP/GEF Project “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. 🤝🤎

, , , , , ,

Loading

Scroll to Top