Green Mindanao joins ASAP Partnership

The Asian Species Action Partnership is organized under the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) with a focus on threatened species in Southeast Asia. It is a network of about 200 partners who are committed to conservation of these threatened species.

Southeast Asia is one of the worlds hot spots in terms of biodiversity and endemism of many species. Indonesia and the Philippines among them have 112 of the currently 227 so called ASAP species. To be given this label a species has to be listed by IUCN as endangered (en) or critically endangered (cr) and be found predominantly in SE Asia. Iconic species like the Philippine Eagle or the Mindoro Tamaraw are represented as well as are lesser known but equally threatened fauna like the Gigante Wrinkled Ground Frog and the Cebu Small Worm Skink. The biggest number of threatened species though are freshwater fishes, that comprises 80 of critically endangered species.

The still rapid population growth in the Philippines (~1.5% p.a.; which is more than twice that of Indonesia) and the resulting destruction or fragmentation of habitat through deforestation, mining and pollution that go hand in hand with it is a major driver of extinction of species. The species loss is accelerating worldwide, exacerbated by climate change and especially high in countries with weaker regulatory frameworks or implementation of existing laws. While the Philippines has quite a number of related and relevant environmental legislation, there have been cases of regress concerning the regulation of extractive industries like mining and oil and gas exploration, driven by the promise of higher revenues for the highly indebted government. However, corrupt practices are the main obstacle to sustainable development and a consequent protection of threatened flora and fauna.

The ASAP partnership began in 2018 and helps its now more than 200-member organizations through small grants, networking and access to a well-thought-of toolkit to strengthen the partners in terms of knowledge towards their own processes as well as their conservation works.

In July 2022 GMAI was admitted as a partner organization after it demonstrated its track record and credentials to the Singapore based initiative. Its work to protect habitats of the Philippine Eagle in its active membership of the PAMB for Mt Kitanglad and the funding it had received from IUCN Netherlands for the protection of Dugong habitat in St Agustin and Pujada Bay in Mati, Davao Oriental were factors in this decision. However, it did not succeed to secure a grant for the protection of the Philippine Eagles in the Mts. Lumot and Balatukan Range in the current grant round. 

There are currently 15 ASAP Partners in the Philippines 3 of which are in Mindanao.