The Global Mangrove Alliance Philippines acknowledges the appointment of Raphael Lotilla as the new Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), replacing Maria Antonia Yulo Loyzaga. While we recognize the prerogative of the administration in making these appointments, we express significant concerns regarding the continuity of initiatives for critical biodiversity conservation and climate action.

Recognizing the Transformative Leadership of Secretary Loyzaga

Under Secretary Loyzaga’s science-based leadership, the DENR achieved remarkable progress in advancing the Philippines’ biodiversity conservation and climate resilience agenda. Her administration positioned the Philippines as a leader in biodiversity conservation and nature-based solutions through several key initiatives:

• Philippine Biodiversity Strategic Action Plan (PBSAP): Comprehensive development of the PBSAP created a robust framework aligning national biodiversity conservation with international commitments. However, full adoption and implementation remain critical.

• Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) and Other Effective Conservation Measures (OECM): Strengthened conservation of critical ecosystems through systematic OECM implementation, protecting biodiversity hotspots beyond traditional protected areas.

• National Blue Carbon Action Partnership (NBCAP): Development of a comprehensive national blue carbon roadmap and policy framework to guide ecosystem conservation and restoration, while exploring sustainable financing mechanisms for long-term conservation work.

• Mangrove and Seagrass Mapping: Completed national mangrove extent mapping, providing crucial baseline data. However, significant work remains in completing seagrass extent mapping, identifying restoration priorities, and mapping Abandoned, Unused, and Underutilized (AUU) fishponds for potential mangrove reversion.

Critical Areas Requiring Immediate Attention

This leadership transition raises broader concerns regarding the continuity of initiatives for climate action. The Philippines, as one of the most vulnerable nations in the world to climate impacts, faces urgent environmental challenges, including deforestation, mining impacts, and coastal ecosystem degradation that require sustained, science-based leadership.

Several critical initiatives demand immediate continuity:

• Full implementation of the PBSAP with supporting policies and mechanisms across all government levels;
• Completion of the blue carbon roadmap, including seagrass mapping and establishment of AUU reversion policies;
• Regular governance coordination for Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) and NBCAP to maintain inter-agency alignment; and
• Upholding international commitments under the Global Biodiversity Framework, Paris Agreement, and regional initiatives.

Call for Continued Commitment

The Global Mangrove Alliance Philippines calls upon the new DENR leadership to ensure continuity of all ongoing initiatives while maintaining the technical rigor and scientific approach that has positioned the Philippines as a regional leader in environment and nature-based solutions to climate change.  We urge prioritization of evidence-driven environmental governance that addresses critical gaps in renewable energy assessments, biodiversity impact evaluations, and climate adaptation integration.

Climate action and biodiversity conservation represent existential imperatives that transcend political appointments. We stand ready to support the new DENR leadership in protecting and restoring the marine and coastal ecosystems of the Philippines — critical not only for biodiversity conservation but also as natural solutions for climate mitigation and adaptation.

The future of the Filipino nation depends on maintaining momentum in these critical initiatives for biodiversity conservation and climate action, ensuring our environmental legacy remains intact for generations to come.