More than this, biodiversity as a whole lays the base foundations for many, if not most, of the benefits we humans enjoy in our urban and rural habitation Biodiversity, in floral and faunal species, comprises the biotic components of ecosystems, the natural processes of which directly deliver, among others, provisional and supporting services covering food, water capture, storage, and supply, oxygen and primary production, soil formation, and biological and genetic resources, to name a few. As such, the conservation of biodiversity through the management and protection of their habitat would directly contribute to a societal good not only in the safeguarding but also through restoration and strengthening of provided ecosystem services and ultimately in the improvement of human lives; the conservation of biodiversity can be linked to sustainable development and poverty reduction.7 Allowing for the eviction of Blue Star and MGFI would compromise the efforts to conserve the floral and faunal biodiversity of Masungi Georeserve, the loss of which will incur grave detrimental effects, particularly the reduction and degradation of such ecosystem services.
The area is also rich in ethnobiological and cultural significance, with the availability of ecosystem services being part of the way of living of local Dumagat indigenous peoples who have long coexisted with the biodiversity of the area. 8 A decline in the biodiversity of Masungi Georeserve would directly and immediately impact livelihoods in their communities. Furthermore, as pioneers of ecotourism in the area, the MGFI also helps forward ecological education and awareness both to locals and all our Filipino citizens, nurturing a way for them to reconnect with nature and facilitating educative experiences for communities and institutions alike, empowering them to be partners in our stewardship of Creation 9,10 These efforts are integral to the balance of the many ecosystem services that the Georeserve provides.
On greater environmental effects
With the context of a global decline in planetary health, the preservation of the area also embeds itself within the context of serving as a climate regulator and, thereby, a remedial measure against climate change. Forests such as those found in Masungi provide key ecosystem services that help in the cycle of nutrients, carbon sequestration, and climate regulation to maintain the health and stability of our planet We have seen how our country has fared amidst numerous meteorological disasters, such as storms, heat waves, and droughts that only increase in frequency with each passing year Each of those years has held increasing reports of climate vulnerability among communities, destruction of shelters and ecosystems, loss of human lives and biodiversity, displacement of communities, and so much more.
It is through forests that we can negate these cascading impacts through their role in absorbing carbon from the atmosphere, which reduces greenhouse gas emissions, their provision of shelter for biodiversity amidst increasing urban developments, as well as their role as a natural barrier against tropical cyclones as a part of the Sierra Madre Mountain
7 Sachs, J D et al (2009) Biodiversity conservation and the Millennium Development Goals Science 325, 1502–1503
8 Dumaliang, et al , 2018
9 Dumaliang, et al , 2018
10 Gutierrez, E L M , & Vafadari, K (2023) Women in community‐involved tourism enterprises: Experiences in the Philippines Asia Pacific Viewpoint, 64(1), 85-97
Range. The Masungi Georeserve not only serves to protect the existing biodiversity and environment in the present day, but also for future generations to come in the face of rapidly accelerating climate change Through its protection, we solidify our intergenerational responsibility for the protection of our planet.
On political considerations
The current decision and attitude towards the Masungi Georeserve also carry significant political implications. First, it raises concerns about our country’s way of upholding environmental laws, land tenure rights, and conservation agreements. It puts into question the precedent of government decisions, especially those concerning the environment and our natural resources, which prioritize appeasing political and economic oligarchies over genuine conservation efforts Moreover, it raises the question of whether our country’s previous efforts towards environmental protection will continue to be supported, or if they will be undone for this aim This may set a bad precedent for future environmental efforts, as more decisions that compromise the environment for further urbanization may be encouraged.
Second, the decision contradicts the Philippines’ existing commitments to international agreements, such as the Paris Agreement on Climate Change11 , the Convention on Biological Diversity12 , and the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)13 . As such, this decision questions both the integrity of our current adherence and our ability to uphold our word in the international community
Last, the decision raises suspicions of political and economic motivations, reflecting political favoritism or weaknesses in environmental enforcement A er all, despite not only being one of the Philippines’ most successful conservation and ecotourism sites, but also an important part of disaster risk reduction in the area, the Masungi Georeserve has been facing increasing pressure from developers to minimize operations including violent attacks committed against their rangers. 14 This further erodes public trust in environmental governance, as it could show that even if there is a desire to uphold our environmental laws, there might be little willpower or capability to uphold them Furthermore, it could also strengthen the perception that the government unequally prioritizes private interests over environmental efforts These only further enable the acts of violence committed against environmental efforts and those who champion them
Together with the Masungi Georeserve, we strongly oppose the DENR’s decision to evict Blue Star Construction & Development Corp. and the Masungi Georeserve Foundation, Inc. from the Georeserve. This move compromises Masungi’s long-standing efforts to preserve and protect our country’s biodiversity and environment.
11 The Philippines ratifies the Paris Agreement! (2021, July 4) La France Aux Philippines Et En Micronésie https://ph ambafrance org/The-Philippines-ratifies-the-Paris-Agreement
12 Radniw (2024, September 20) PBSAP Implementation Status Philippine Clearing House Mechanism Philippine Clearing House Mechanism https://www philchm ph/pbsap-implementation
13 About sustainable development goals – SDGs – Philippines (n d ) https://sdg neda gov ph/about-sustainable-development-goals/
14 Bruce-Lockart, A (2025, September 20) The battle for Masungi, a last ‘ark of biodiversity’ in the Philippines https://wwwweforum org/stories/2024/03/masungi-biodiversity-philippines-ann-dumaliang/https://wwwweforum org/stories/2024/03/masungi-biod iversity-philippines-ann-dumaliang/
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