Green Livelihoods Alliance (GLA) – Palawan organizations reconvened with its partners for the Nanay Camp 2.0, in Crown Hotel Palawan, Puerto Princesa, Palawan, last March 11-12, 2025.
Through the continuous joint efforts of the Sustainable and Inclusive Landscape Governance Program (SILG) of the Forest Foundation Philippines, Non-Timber Forest Products – Exchange Programme (NTFP-EP) Philippines, and Institute for the Development of Educational and Ecological Alternatives Incorporated (IDEAS), follow-through activities of the previous initiatives with indigenous women were pushed through in the Southern Palawan landscape– one of the key focal landscapes of the Alliance.
All eyes. The mothers attentively listening as Atty. De Leon discuss her presentation on Women as Leaders in Climate Action. Screenshot captured on the video produced by Sri Malvas and his team.
The said camp and training gathered delegates from various active organizations in Southern Palawan municipalities. These organizations have been existing networks of the Alliance for some years already and have been its audience and partners in the previous Nanay Camp, among other conservation and advocacy activities. . As primary actors and beneficiaries of the abundant resources of the environment, the Alliance prioritizes the capacity-building and empowerment of the indigenous groups with the hope that it could help and assist them in their own advocacies and community-initiated activities where the forest could benefit.
To know more about the previous Nanay Camp, see article: https://www.forestfoundation.ph/news/more-than-a-nanay-southern-palawan-mothers-shares-what-it-means-to-be-a-mother-a-woman-an-advocate-and-a-leader-of-an-indigenous-community-during-nanay-camp/
What transpired in the two-day camp
With a focus on the interrelationship between women and the forest, Nanay Camp 2.0 challenges the unraveling of the inherent strengths of the Indigenous mothers of Palawan to not only care for their own families at home but also extend their nurturing capacities to their neighbors, communities, and the landscapes that surround them. The camp highlights the creation of a civic space where dialogue among the mothers of different backgrounds and nascency is possible — A civic space where the indigenous women could feel a sense of safety and belongingness to freely speak and voice out ideas and stories that are personal to them.
The mothers were encouraged to a dialogue revolving around the reflection of their identities, shared challenge and experiences, and exchange knowledge on lived experience that could provide new insights, best practices, and inspiration for a renewed motivation to support their families, communities, and most especially the forests from which they take refuge and access resources to survive in a daily basis.
With activities like “Ano ang Super Powers Mo?” (What are your superpowers?) and “Para Kanino Ka Bumabangon?” (Who do you wake up for?), the mothers were able to express their view of strength and enumerate the overlapping tasks and responsibilities that have been expected from them day to day. The opportunity for the mothers to reflect and further appreciate the work that they do was deepened by the discussions of the guest speakers of the camp, Atty. Aya De Leon and Ivy Marian Panganiban, who tackled issues on Gender Sensitivity, Inclusivity, and Women as Leaders in Climate Actions. During the first day of talk-back sessions, the speakers allowed the mothers to share personal stories regarding their womanhood, how it was acknowledged by society, and the role that they play in forwarding their advocacies in the community. The speakers highlighted how women are often discriminated against in the community, with a tendency to get set aside and neglected with opportunities and chances to forward issues and concerns that they deal with as women and as mothers. More than understanding the things that each Indigenous woman does, the first session also allowed for the discussion of violence against women, and the various pathways accessible for mothers to seek help, guidance, and space to ensure that they can protect and defend themselves.
Introspection. Nanay Aize (first photo) as she tries to accomplish her sheet that answers “Para Kanino Ka Bumabangon,” and Nanay Jelyn (second photo) as she represents her group in presenting their consolidated answers that enumerates their daily tasks as mothers and women. Screenshots captured on the video produced by Sri Malvas and his team.
The afternoon session, on the other hand, was allotted to the discussion of the role of women as leaders of Climate Action. Here, Atty. De Leon made a brief and digestible presentation of climate, weather, and related key terms like climate change, climate mitigation, and climate action to the attendees. The discussion made sure to inquire about the mother’s knowledge and experiences related to climate. Lastly, the conversation allowed for an intimate exchange among the attendees regarding how they situate their role with climate-induced issues and how they could potentially lead in addressing the concern. By the end of the discussion, a short written reflection activity was facilitated. The reflection asks the certain problems that the mothers face, which among the problems they need assistance with, and what resources could help them better the situation.
Ready for Underground. One of the boats carrying 10 of the Nanay camp participants with the Nanays waving their hand to the camera as they prepare to row and enter the passage going to the underground river. Screenshot captured on the video produced by Sri Malvas and his team.
The following day was not only a day filled with learning but with a chance to relax and unload burdens and responsibilities as the mothers take a day off from their usual routines, and traveled further north to see and experience firsthand the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park Underground River and the Sabang Mangrove Forest Paddle Boat Tour in Puerto Princesa. The full-day itinerary included opportunities for the mothers to see the bigger landscape that Palawan has to offer — scenery that, even to them as locals, is not easily accessible. The mothers expressed how the learning visit provided them with a deeper appreciation of their landscape and their role as stewards for its protection and conservation.
“A message I can leave to other Indigenous women like me is my hope that they do not give up, and get easily shaken because the [ancestral] land of Palawan is for us to claim [and protect]. I am with them not only in seeking our rights, but also in protecting the forest so that the new generation will not have to see and experience it only in pictures and stories.”
Translated excerpt from the interview with Nanay Norima Mablon, a Nanay Camp participant.
The two-day camp ended with the awarding of certificates of recognition and participation among attendees, facilitators, and speakers.
What’s next?
The Green Livelihoods Alliance in Palawan continues to organize, partner with Indigenous communities, and come up with programs and events that would contribute and provide safe spaces for all stakeholders to capacitate themselves and talk about their own lived truths to advocate for the protection of the forest and a sustainable future for them, their families, and Indigenous communities.
The Sustainable and Inclusive Landscape Governance (SILG) program is a joint initiative of Forest Foundation Philippines and Tropenbos International.
