Four Philippine communities have been awarded by the Asean Green Initiative

Four PH eco-communities receive ASEAN honor

Michele T. Logarta
The Manila Times
31 October 2026

FOUR Philippine communities have been awarded by the Asean Green Initiative (AGI) for their success in conservation work as a result of empowering and engaging their members as described by Asean Center for Biodiversity (ACB) Executive Director Jerome Montemayor. An ACB initiative, AGI highlights people-driven ecosystem restoration practices across Southeast Asia, especially in grassroots communities that are addressing biodiversity loss, land degradation and ecosystem collapse. It is also aiming to grow 10 million native trees in the region over 10 years. The recognition given to representatives of the four Philippine awardees took place during the Asean Heritage Parks Forum held from Sept. 8 to 10.

In Purok Santol, Barangay Banlag, Monkayo, Davao de Oro, a young forest is taking root through the Philippine Eagle Foundation’s (PEF) Mongkayo Pag-asa Carbon Forest (MPCF) initiative. Since 2022, more than 22,800 native trees have been planted and cared for by the Banlag Santol Kinaiyahan Workers Association, whose members make their home in the area.

“Their participation connects restoration work to the community and gives the forest a stronger foundation for long-term survival,” PEF Director for Operations Jayson Ibañez replied to an email interview with The Manila Times. The MPCF is a partnership with the local government, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Yap family who donated the 22.4-hectare project site, and the community. “The story of the MPCF begins with the Philippine eagle — and with the understanding that protecting this species requires protecting the forests it depends on,” Ibañez said. “By restoring MPCF, we are creating a place where forests can recover, wildlife can return, communities can participate, and people can better understand the connection between the Philippine eagle and the landscapes it represents,” he said.

In Mangatarem, Pangasinan, forester Celso Salazar is leading the Pangasinan Native Tree Enthusiasts in restoring 20 hectares of public land. About 9,000 native trees have been planted to create the Daang Kalikasang Native Trees Arboretum and Ecological Restoration Initiative. Salazar said the project aims to “turn the barren hills into a massive, living library of trees” where people can learn about Philippine native trees.

According to Salazar, the project is a nature-based solution that will mitigate the impact of climate change. “We wanted to use nature to heal nature, so we focused on bringing back indigenous, native trees,” Salazar said. “We are not just planting green cover. We are anchoring the soil to withstand typhoons.”

Restoring the supposedly undesirable

In Baragay San Teodoro, Bunawan, Agusan del Sur, artist and cultural worker Grace Nono has turned inherited family land into the Alima Eco, Agri and Heritage Park, restoring degraded peatlands while raising awareness of an ecosystem that has been historically viewed as undesirable.

“Past and present generations have been misunderstanding the huyong-huyong, the Visayan term for peatlands,” Nono said in an email interview with The Manila Times. “Peatlands are not useless wet acidic soil that my elders and neighbors often described. For as long as they remain wet, they are impressive ecosystems that store enormous amounts of carbon, support biodiversity, and provide Indigenous communities with food and medicine.”

Nono said the land she inherited from her parents is a peatland in various stages of degradation. “The average peat soil depth measured in my backyard is around 2 meters deep, said to have been in formation for at least 2,000 years!” she added.

Combining indigenous knowledge and practice with modern scientific methods, Nono is working with indigenous conservationists and soil scientists to bring her peatland back to its natural balance. The project integrates the planting of native trees and gardens of indigenous crops and medicines, while also serving as the home of the Agusanon-Manobo School of Living Traditions, which has been based on Nono family land since 2017. Alima is led by Nono’s family and her organization — Tao Foundation for Culture and Arts — in collaboration with partners in the Indigenous community, local government and the academe.

With 600,000 trees planted, Quezon City’s Luntiang Kyusi: One Million Trees Initiative is more than halfway toward its target in 2030. The project supports a planned green corridor network and implementation of an urban biodiversity strategy, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte said during the forum. “We prioritize native species suited to our local soil and climate, including edible and fruit-bearing trees for urban food security. We also make sure that our restoration efforts do not introduce new ecological threats,” Belmonte said.

Through the city’s urban agricultural program, close to 50,000 residents tend to 1,400 urban farms across the city. “Greening is about creating relationships between people and nature, between communities and government,” Belmonte said.