Forest Foundation Philippines and the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources and Energy of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (MENRE-BARMM) formally strengthened their partnership through a collaboration aimed at advancing forest and biodiversity conservation and sustainable resource management initiatives across the Bangsamoro Region.
The partnership establishes a framework for cooperation between the two institutions in support of conservation and development efforts that are responsive to the ecological, social, and cultural contexts of BARMM. It recognizes the region’s rich terrestrial, freshwater, and marine biodiversity, and the critical role these ecosystems play in supporting livelihoods, food security, cultural identity, and climate resilience.
Under the partnership, Forest Foundation Philippines and MENRE-BARMM will collaborate on forest landscape conservation and restoration, community-based forest resource management, capacity building and knowledge exchange, research and monitoring, policy and program support, and project development and co-financing. The collaboration will support initiatives related to the protection and conservation of watersheds, identification of Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) and potential Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures (OECMs), and mangrove forest restoration and protection. Initial priority areas include Cotabato City, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, and Tawi-Tawi.
As part of the collaboration, Forest Foundation Philippines will provide funding support for eligible projects under its 2023–2027 Results Framework, extend technical assistance and capacity development support, and collaborate in project development, monitoring, evaluation, research, and knowledge-sharing activities.
MENRE-BARMM, meanwhile, will lead the coordination of field activities in the Bangsamoro Region, identify priority conservation areas, facilitate engagement with local government units and stakeholders, and ensure alignment of initiatives with regional policies and safeguards. The partnership reflects a shared commitment to strengthening locally grounded and participatory approaches to conservation that recognize the important role of communities, Indigenous Peoples, and local institutions in stewarding natural resources.
Atty. Jose Andres Canivel, Executive Director of Forest Foundation Philippines, said, “This signifies a genuine partnership of mutual cooperation between Forest Foundation and BARMM-MENRE—to protect, conserve, and leave a lasting legacy for the Bangsamoro Region.”
Akmad A. Brahim, Minister of MENRE-BARMM, added, “This is not merely a formal signing of partnership documents, but a definition of a shared vision for Bangsamoro. This partnership marks a significant milestone in our journey toward a sustainable future. Our forests are the lifeblood of our region. They provide the water that feeds our lands, the air we breathe, and the heritage we pass on to the next generation of Bangsamoro. This partnership will allow us to enhance our reforestation efforts through community-led approaches, strengthen the protection of biodiversity hotspots in the region, and empower our local communities as active stewards of their own natural resources.” Joining Minister Brahim were Atty. Badr E. Salendab, Bangsamoro Director General for Environment and Natural Resources, and Dr. Abdul-Jalil Umngan, Director for Forest Management Services.
Following the signing of the partnership agreement, Forest Foundation Philippines and MENRE-BARMM will co-organize a Partners Convergence Meeting on Biodiversity, Environment, and Fisheries in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao convened in support of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Agrarian Reform (MAFAR) and the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs (MIPA). The convergence meeting will serve as a platform to bring together government agencies, civil society organizations, development partners, academic institutions, and other stakeholders working on biodiversity conservation, forest protection and conservation, fisheries, and community-based resource management initiatives in BARMM. During the meeting, these stakeholders will also map existing and planned interventions across BARMM’s terrestrial, freshwater, coastal, and marine ecosystems, identify synergies in current programs and engagements, and develop coordination mechanisms and next steps to enhance collaboration and strategic use of resources.
BARMM is recognized as an ecologically significant region within the Sulu–Sulawesi Seascape under the Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries and Food Security (CTI-CFF), an area considered globally important for marine biodiversity and productivity. At the same time, the region’s forest, freshwater, coastal, and marine ecosystems are central to the mandates of MENRE, MAFAR, and MIPA, as well as to broader national and global biodiversity commitments.
About Forest Foundation Philippines:
Forest Foundation Philippines (doing business as Philippine Tropical Forest Conservation Foundation (PTFCF), Inc.) is a non-stock, non-profit, non-governmental organization that provides grants and technical assistance to organizations and individuals that empower the people to protect and conserve the forests.
About MENRE-BARMM:
The Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources and Energy (MENRE-BARMM) is the primary agency responsible for the exploration, utilization, management, conservation, protection and sustainable development of the region’s environment, natural resources and potential energy sources of the Bangsamoro Region.
