In its recent Facebook post, the USAID Philippines announced the awarding of 13 grants amounting P286 million to civil society organizations in different parts of the country. The awards were made through the Gerry Roxas Foundation, which is the USAID’s implementing partner organization for the five-year Investing in Sustainability and Partnerships for Inclusive Growth and Regenerative Ecosystems (INSPIRE) Project. This assistance aims to promote natural resources conservation and ecosystem and community resilience, including projects on biodiversity conservation, wildlife protection, natural resources management, and local climate actions.
The USAID Embassy in the Philippines also posted in its website the 13 civil society organizations that each availed about P16 million funding assistance to implement a three-year conservation and climate project. One of the grantees is the Bacolod-based Philippines Biodiversity Conservation Foundation Inc. (PhilBio) for its Biodiversity and Sustainable Ecosystem Restoration in Unprotected Rainforests of Western Visayas (Bio-SECURE) Project.
The specific sites of the PhilBio for this initiative are the Central Panay Mountain Range covering the provinces of Antique, Aklan, Capiz, and Ilolilo; Cuernos de Negros Mountain Range in the municipalities of Valencia, Bacong, Dawin, Zamboangita, and Siaton in Negros Oriental; and the Southwester Negros Key Biodiversity Area in Hinoba-an, Negros Occidental.
USAID Philippines Acting Deputy Mission Director Jennifer Crow, Department of Environment and Natural Resources Undersecretary Marilou Erni, and Gerry Roxas Foundation Executive Director Glen de Castro formally awarded the grants in a ceremony held on August 30 in Manila.
In its recent Facebook post, the USAID Philippines announced the awarding of 13 grants amounting P286 million to civil society organizations in different parts of the country. The awards were made through the Gerry Roxas Foundation, which is the USAID’s implementing partner organization for the five-year Investing in Sustainability and Partnerships for Inclusive Growth and Regenerative Ecosystems (INSPIRE) Project. This assistance aims to promote natural resources conservation and ecosystem and community resilience, including projects on biodiversity conservation, wildlife protection, natural resources management, and local climate actions.
The USAID Embassy in the Philippines also posted in its website the 13 civil society organizations that each availed about P16 million funding assistance to implement a three-year conservation and climate project. One of the grantees is the Bacolod-based Philippines Biodiversity Conservation Foundation Inc. (PhilBio) for its Biodiversity and Sustainable Ecosystem Restoration in Unprotected Rainforests of Western Visayas (Bio-SECURE) Project.
The specific sites of the PhilBio for this initiative are the Central Panay Mountain Range covering the provinces of Antique, Aklan, Capiz, and Ilolilo; Cuernos de Negros Mountain Range in the municipalities of Valencia, Bacong, Dawin, Zamboangita, and Siaton in Negros Oriental; and the Southwester Negros Key Biodiversity Area in Hinoba-an, Negros Occidental.
“We also hope that these projects will generate livelihoods and enterprises that uphold the value of the natural resources and cultural assets of the Philippines and improve the lives of local communities, including indigenous peoples,” she added.
Meanwhile Usec Erni said “The DENR values the support given by USAID to all sectors in order to deliver critical biodiversity and sustainable landscapes targets…We trust that closer cooperation and collaboration between government and civil society through INSPIRE will increase and expand investments for conservation.”
Aside from the PhilBio, other civil society organizations that also received grants are the ABS-CBN Lingkod Kapamilya Foundation, Jaime V. Ongpin Foundation, Mount Apo Foundation, NGOs for Fisheries Reform, Path Foundation Philippines, Philippine Eagle Foundation, Sentro Para sa Ikauunlad ng Katutubong Agham and Teknolohiya, Xavier Science Foundation, and Zoological Society of London-Philippines.*