By Christopher Hedreyda

 

QUEZON CITY (PIA) – Anchoring on the overarching theme of the 2026 ASEAN chairship, “Navigating Our Future, Together,” the Philippines is hosting the first-ever ASEAN Heritage Parks (AHP) Forum on September 8-10, positioning the country as a leading advocate in the region for the continued preservation of protected areas and the implementation of crucial regional biodiversity initiatives.

In partnership with the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) and the ASEAN Secretariat, the Philippines, through the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), organize the AHP Forum as a platform for learning, collaboration, and innovation among AHP managers and stakeholders from the 11 ASEAN member states.

DENR Secretary Juan Miguel Cuna, together with Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Dita Angara-Mathay and ACB Executive Director Dr. Jerome Montemayor, led the opening of the forum on Tuesday, themed “Navigating a Sustainable Future for ASEAN Heritage Parks.” The event promotes a more people-centered approach by placing empowered communities at the heart of long-term conservation efforts and highlighting the critical roles of AHP managers, Indigenous Peoples, local communities, women, and youth as stewards of protected areas.

As ASEAN Chair this year, Cuna said the Philippines is committed to strengthening the foundations of the parks network as a means of improving cooperation and education and empowering local communities as stewards of the environment.

“I call on all of us to use these coming days to deepen technical cooperation, expand financing and capacity-building for our heritage parks, and strengthen the role of Indigenous Peoples and local communities as essential partners in park governance, and to ensure that the voices of our park rangers and community stewards — the people who walk our forests, visit our wetlands, and dive our reefs every day — are reflected in the outcomes of this forum,”

The environment secretary highlighted that the forum differs from the AHP Summit, which is held every three years, as it focuses on strengthening long-term conservation through the collective voice of key sectors and stakeholders.

Cuna also highlighted the importance of sharing best practices and enhancing the capabilities of stakeholders and communities in protected areas to fully implement sustainable measures for park protection.

“It is more than a convening of protected area managers, stakeholders and partners; it is an affirmation of the kind of shared future we want for ASEAN – one in which biodiversity remains at the heart of our region’s peace, prosperity, and the well-being of our people,”

For the ACB, heritage conservation is not a standalone undertaking but a shared commitment among all ASEAN Member States.

Montemayor noted that protected areas serve as the region’s last ecological frontiers and humanity’s final stronghold against further planetary collapse, underscoring the importance of close connections and collaboration among nations, which ASEAN continues to value.

“Our ASEAN Heritage Parks demands more urgent protection and stronger inter-agency and cross-border cooperation. [All of us] have a big responsibility and a unique role to play in the fight against climate change, to protect the Earth, and conserve it for future generations,” the ACB director said.

He said the forum provides a space for regional exchange on effective and sustainable approaches, encompassing both scientific knowledge and on-the-ground experiences, while strengthening partnerships across sectors and creating opportunities to engage international and local development partners in advancing their shared mission.

“This is not “preaching to the choir”. It is actually learning “to sing together as a choir.” We come from different places and backgrounds, but all of us possess a wealth of knowledge from different experiences that can help one another in charting a sustainable future for our AHPs,”

Currently, there are 69 AHPs across the region from the 11 ASEAN Member States, selected for their ecological integrity and high conservation value across diverse ecosystems and demonstrating the region’s shared natural heritage. (CH/PIA-CALABARZON)