By Andre’ Doria

In time for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations ( ASEAN) 56^th founding anniversary and International Youth Day, the ASEAN Center for Biodiversity (ACB) convened the multisectoral conservation stakeholders across the region to speak before its ASEAN youth storyteller awardees, young Filipino development communication undergraduates, and faculty representatives in a fervent call to increase awareness, education, and conservation on biodiversity in the region.

Over 120 guests attended the forum, including key representatives from some of ASEAN’s national governments, its private sector, community conservation groups, the media, and especially the Philippines’ DevCom academia.

DevCom senior student Andre’ Socorro F. Doria and sophomore student Al-Ashrie D. Saro with faculty representative John Esteward B. Carcosia heeded the invitation to represent Xavier University Ateneo de Cagayan’s DevCom department on August 11-13 in the Diamond Hotel, Manila.

“We want to reach out to the grassroots—how do you make it relatable to communities? We can multiply our efforts by engaging (with) DevCom students,” said ACB Executive Director Theresa Mundita Lim in an interview with Doria. This is the first in-person event participated by the XU DevCom Society with other universities in the same program since the COVID-19 pandemic.

The two-day forum facilitated the exchange of insights from the 2017 and 2022 ASEAN Biodiversity Heroes with the 2022 Young ASEAN storytellers alongside Filipino DevCom practitioners.

The ASEAN Biodiversity Hero Award is the highest distinction conferred to impactful conservationists in the region based on their contribution’s relevance to biodiversity conservation, their impact on efforts in their respective countries and the region, its replicability, and the recognition they received in their own communities. 

National Scientist and staunch marine conservationist Dr. Angel C. Alcala and President pro tempore of the Philippines’ Senate Sen. Loren Legarda are two of the Philippines’ esteemed awardees in 2017 and 2022 respectively.

Southeast Asia Mega biodiversity

Southeast Asia cradles 18% of the world’s flora and fauna, especially thriving in its three mega biodiverse countries, namely the Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia.

The Philippines is particularly tagged as the world’s center of the center of biodiversity for its sheer state of species and habitat biodiversity on air, sea, and land.

It is also part of the massive Coral Triangle—a highly biological and economic trove—bordered by five other countries in Southeast Asia and the Pacific islands.

Through the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB), protected areas on land with high conservation importance are further designated and supported under the ASEAN Heritage Parks (AHP) Programme as a regional mechanism for cooperation and support.

There are 55 ASEAN Heritage Parks (AHPs) in the 10 ASEAN Member States whereas the Philippines has nine, two of which are also UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Notably, there are three AHPs in Northern Mindanao such as Bukidnon’s Mt. Kitanglad Range Natural Park designated in 2009, Misamis Occidental’s Mt. Malindang National Park (2011), and Camiguin’s Mt Timpoong-Hibok-Hibok Natural Monument (2015).

The Youth in ‘Conservation Conversation

The youth compose 33% of the ASEAN member-states population. Other than the ASEAN Biodiversity Heroes who dedicated their lifework to conservation, the forum was intended to encourage the effective communication of the science of biodiversity toward solutions for conservation to the public.

ACB Executive Director Lim explained, “We aim to encourage young communicators, storytellers, content creators, journalists, and creative writers to help send the message that everyone can become biodiversity champions.”

20 selected Young ASEAN Storytellers (YAS) of 2022 presented their multimedia story pieces on the different AHPs during the Cultural Night while nearly 60 development communication students underwent workshops from esteemed speakers on the following topics:

• ‘Biodiversity 101’ by ACB Knowledge Management division Director Dr. Ma. Renee Lorica;
• ‘Youth Action for Biodiversity’ by ACB Mainstreaming Biodiversity Programmes Department Director Mr. Oliver Agoncillo
• DevCom for Biodiversity’ by Dr. Maria Stella C. Tirol from the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) College of Development Communication
• ‘Biodiversity reporting’ by multi-awarded reporter Mr. Jonathan Mayuga
• ‘Rizal as a Naturalist’ by veteran documentarist and broadcast journalist Mr. Howie Severino

Dr. Tirol emphasized the role of DevCom practice in facilitating capacity-building and conservation initiatives between academia and local actors, further adding that researchers must return to their study locations to communicate findings to the locals themselves.

Notably, Sen. Legarda likened ASEAN’s biodiversity conservation heroes to Rizal’s humble beginnings, while Severino further suggested that Rizal’s community-building initiatives in Dapitan amid his exile were pivotal to his becoming a Filipino and one of, if not the first, Filipino naturalists.

In the closing ceremony, DevCom instructor Mr. Carcosia won as one of the best presenters during the workshop, and the XU-DevCom delegates were acknowledged for attending the event in Manila, being one of the only learning institutions to offer the program in Mindanao.