By Tracy Cabrera
Environment leaders across Southeast Asia have launched the ASEAN Heritage Parks Regional Action Plan 2026–2035, a 10-year strategic roadmap designed to bolster ecosystem management, regional cooperation, and biodiversity objectives.
Organized by the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the launch brought together representatives from 11 ASEAN member nations, including the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, and Timor-Leste. Supported by capacity-building initiatives and micro-funding, the roadmap includes Phase III of the ASEAN Small Grants Program, which offers up to 17.2 million euros in grants funded by the European Union and Germany’s KfW Development Bank to support local communities across select protected sites, such as the Balinsasayao Twin Lakes Natural Park in Negros Oriental.
Department of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Juan Miguel Cuna announced that the Philippines will strengthen domestic collaboration among its ASEAN Heritage Parks, linking local park managers and on-the-ground conservation efforts directly to broader regional and global biodiversity targets.
