MALAYBALAY, Bukidnon — In the recently concluded Consultation Workshop to propel the development of the Coral Triangle Initiative for Coral Reefs, Fisheries, and Food Security (CTI-CFF) Philippine National Plan of Action (2021-2030) for Cluster Three (3), the Ministry’s Biodiversity, Ecosystems, Research and Development Services (BERDS) participated and engaged in insightful discussions with other experts, and representatives from different regions in Mindanao to address critical challenges facing marine ecosystems and sustainable management of marine resources within the Coral Triangle Region.

The event organized by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Department of Agriculture (DA) was held at Northern Mindanao Integrated Agricultural Research Center, Malaybalay, Bukidnon Province, from March 5-8.

The CTI-CFF stands as a multilateral partnership among six member countries, united by a common goal: to safeguard the extraordinary diversity of coastal and marine resources threatened by climate change and various anthropogenic activities. These activities include illegal fishing, reclamation, and other detrimental practices that endanger the delicate balance of marine ecosystems.

Representing MENRE-BERDS, Forester Wildanah M. Usman and Forester Mohaimen G. Macod shared knowledge and collaborative activities during the workshop with other groups of experts and government representatives to ameliorate and promote the conservation of marine biodiversity and enhance the resilience of coastal communities. This workshop was the first engagement of BERDS to raise awareness about the importance of conserving marine and coastal species.

The Coral Triangle is a marine site with a rich diversity of about six hundred Reef-Building corals spanning the waters of Indonesia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Timor Leste, and Solomon Islands in the Pacific Ocean.

The consultation workshop brought together diverse group experts and government representatives, including MENRE along with the DENR Biodiversity Management Bureau, the Department of Agricultural Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, and the Coastal Marine Division to collaborate in shaping the Coral Triangle Initiative for Coral Reefs, Fisheries and Food Security (CTI-CFF)—the Cluster 3 Focuses on Marine Biodiversity Conservation and Climate Change Adaptation within the Coral Triangle.

By 2030, the CTI-CFF aims to improve the health of coastal and marine ecosystems, priority threatened species, and fisheries in the Coral Triangle region through effective management actions. The National Coral Triangle Initiative Coordinating Committee (NCCC) secretariat, together with a hired facilitator-writer, will review and analyze all proceedings to begin the write-up and eventual packaging of National Plan of Action 2.0. This will be launched during the Coral Triangle Initiative Coral Reefs, Fisheries and Food Security (CTI-CFF) 9th Ministerial Meeting, which is expected to take place at the end of the year 2024. This will be considered one of the major annual accomplishments of the country in relation to its commitment to the Coral Triangle Initiative.