Santa Cruz, Occidental Mindoro — Representatives from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)-Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) Occidental Mindoro, the Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office (MENRO) of Santa Cruz, the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) Provincial Office, the Barangay Local Government Unit of Alacaak, members of the Iraya Indigenous Cultural Communities/Indigenous Peoples (ICCs/IPs) under CADT 014, and the Mindoro Biodiversity Corridor Project Management Unit (MBC-PMU) of the DENR–United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)/Global Environment Facility (GEF) Biodiversity Corridor Project gathered for the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Iraya ICCs/IPs under CADT 014 in Sitio Calomintao, Brgy. Alacaak, Santa Cruz, Occidental Mindoro on June 4, 2026. The activity marked an important milestone in strengthening collaboration among government agencies, local government units, and the Iraya community in advancing sustainable development while recognizing and upholding indigenous peoples’ rights.
The agreement formalized the partnership between the DENR and the Iraya community in implementing activities that promote integrated ecosystems management (IEM), biodiversity conservation, sustainable land management, and livelihood development within their ancestral domain, consistent with the objective of the BD Corridor Project.
Ms. Emy Goritte E. Gorra, MBC-NCIP Focal Person, presented the salient provisions of the MOA, providing members of the Iraya ICCs/IPs with a clear understanding of the commitments, responsibilities, and benefits outlined in the partnership. The discussion also revisited the consultation previously conducted with the community, ensuring that the agreement reflected their collective understanding and informed consent.
Community members were provided the opportunity to raise concerns regarding the formulation of their Ancestral Domain Sustainable Development and Protection Plan (ADSDPP) and the management of portions of their ancestral domain previously covered under the National Greening Program (NGP). Representatives from the LGU of Santa Cruz, NCIP, and the MBC Project expressed their commitment to support the development of the ADSDPP. The concerned LGUs committed to assist in the formulation of the ADSDPP while the BD Corridor Project- Mindoro Biodiversity Corridor and its technical partner and consultant, Geographic Innovations for Development Solutions, Inc. (GRIDS), committed to providing technical assistance through community mapping activities to support the planning process.
The successful signing of the Memorandum of Agreement reaffirmed the shared commitment of the DENR, NCIP and the Iraya ICCs/IPs to work collaboratively toward future initiatives that are culturally appropriate, environmentally sustainable, and responsive to the aspirations of the Iraya ICCs/IPs under CADT 014.
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. ✒️🌱
