Negros Occidental has been recognized for its conservation story titled “Municipal Waters in Harmony: Negros Occidental’s Legacy in the 7th Ramsar Site” during the Good Stories Movement 2026 awarding ceremony on Thursday, June 18.
Provincial Environment Management Office (PEMO) head Julie Ann Bedrio received the certificate of global gratitude from Secretary Juan Miguel Cuna of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), former Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr., and renowned environmental lawyer Antonio Oposa Jr. at the DENR Social Hall in Quezon City.
“A province looked at its shrinking coastline and chose to grow it back. Negros Occidental built a provincial network of coastal greenbelts and wetlands conservation areas spanning 10 municipalities and cities,” the citation read.
Through strong multi-local government unit (LGU) collaboration, community participation and environmental governance under the network called the Negros Occidental Coastal Wetlands Conservation Area (NOCWCA), mangrove cover nearly tripled from 560 hectares to 1,436.8 hectares.
Also, migratory bird populations increased, fish catches improved and sustainable livelihoods flourished while women-led mangrove planting efforts, youth spearheaded biodiversity monitoring, and community-based environmental law enforcers helped protect coastal resources.
“Now, we share its blueprint with the rest of the world,” the citation read.
In 2016, NOCWCA was designated as Wetlands of International Importance Site No. 2,271, becoming the seventh Ramsar site in the Philippines and the first in Western Visayas and Negros Island Region.
It remains the only Ramsar site in the country managed locally through strong collaboration among LGUs and communities.
A Ramsar site is a wetland designated as internationally important under the Ramsar Convention, an environmental treaty established in 1971.
“The NOCWCA story is the story of The Good – coastal communities reclaiming abundance through conservation; The Right – 10 LGUs and the provincial government of Negros Occidental harmonized policies institutionalizing stewardship; and The Bright – a vision of resilience and sustainability that radiates beyond borders, inspiring other provinces and countries,” the PEMO said in its story profile.
The Good Stories Movement 2026, themed “Intergenerational Stewardship: The Future Begins with A Good Story,” is presented by the DENR, the Good Stories Movement and partner institutions, including the Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development, Consortium for Ecological Law-New York, Asia-Pacific Consortium for Environmental Law-Singapore, Normandy Chair for Peace-France and Environmental Law Program-University of Hawaii.*PNA
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