Funded by a $3-million grant from the Global Environment Facility, the project was announced during the 12th Meeting of Partners of the East Asian–Australasian Flyway Partnership, hosted by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
Protecting key stopovers
The project will focus on three priority wetlands — Candaba in Luzon, and Lake Mainit and Sibugay Wetlands in Mindanao — to restore degraded habitats, improve site management, and align conservation efforts with local livelihood programs, the ADB said in a press statement on Nov. 11.
“Wetlands in our region face mounting threats from reclamation, degradation, and urban expansion, and the East Asian–Australasian Flyway is considered the most threatened of the world’s major flyways,” said ADB vice-president for East and Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Scott Morris.
“Through the Philippines Flyway Project, ADB and DENR are working together to protect, manage, and restore these critical ecosystems—helping communities and nature thrive.”
Boosting biodiversity and resilience
Implemented by the DENR, the initiative seeks to enhance biodiversity, support sustainable livelihoods, and strengthen climate resilience for millions of Filipinos.
The Philippines Flyway Project forms part of ADB’s Regional Flyway Initiative (RFI), launched in 2021 to mobilize $3 billion over the next decade across 11 developing countries in Asia and the Pacific to conserve key wetlands along the East Asian–Australasian Flyway.
A global responsibility
More than 20 migratory waterbird species depend on Philippine wetlands as stopovers and wintering sites.
The country is home to 10 Ramsar wetlands and seven Flyway Network Sites, including Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
By safeguarding these natural habitats, ADB and the Philippine government aim to secure both ecological balance and community resilience against worsening climate impacts. —Ed: Corrie S. Narisma
