September 25, 2025 · Filipino organizations convened as a committee within the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the world’s largest and most diverse environmental network. This marked a historic moment for Philippine conservation as the country became the 11th National Committee in Asia, joining Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Japan, Republic of Korea, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Viet Nam.
Chaired by Haribon Foundation COO Arlie Jo B. Endonila, the joining organizations include: the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Ecological Society of the Philippines, Forest Foundation of the Philippines (FFP), Foundation of the Philippine Environment (FPE), Haribon Foundation, Indigenous Peoples Rights International (IPRI), Mindoro Biodiversity Conservation Foundation Inc. (MBCFI), Non-Timber Forest Products – Exchange Programme (NFTP-EP), and World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF Philippines).
“With our National Committee in place, the Philippines will now be formally represented in the Asia Regional Members’ Committee (ARMC). Through this mechanism, the voices of Philippine Members will actively shape regional priorities and contribute to IUCN’s global agenda,” Haribon Foundation said in the announcement post.
The organization added, “National Committees such as ours are more than structures of governance. They are platforms for collaboration – bringing together government, civil society, and Indigenous Peoples to amplify our collective influence, foster partnerships, and ensure that local and national realities inform global conservation efforts.”
