In a significant move toward inclusive conservation, the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) held a key meeting with the Philippine National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) on 10 September 2024 to align the project Effectively Managing Networks of Marine Protected Areas in Large Marine Ecosystems in the ASEAN Region (ASEAN ENMAPS) with the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA) and NCIP’s mandate. The meeting sought to ensure that the rights of Indigenous communities are safeguarded during the five-year implementation of the ASEAN ENMAPS Project, particularly in areas where project sites might overlap with ancestral domains.
ASEAN ENMAPS is a regional initiative designed to improve the management of marine protected areas (MPAs) and marine corridors across selected Large Marine Ecosystems in Southeast Asia. Covering 11 pilot sites in Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand, the project aims to strengthen the conservation of vital marine habitats while promoting sustainable fisheries.
The Philippines hosts five of the ASEAN ENMAPS pilot sites, spanning Region 1, Region 4B, Region 5, and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. Recognising the essential role indigenous peoples play in biodiversity conservation, ASEAN ENMAPS is committed to engaging local indigenous communities in its efforts. The project will align its conservation efforts with the rights and traditional knowledge of the indigenous peoples to foster more sustainable and inclusive management of marine resources.
To this end, the ASEAN ENMAPS team is working closely with the NCIP to comply with the Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) process as required by IPRA. This process guarantees that Indigenous Peoples have a voice in decisions that affect them and their ancestral domains.
ASEAN ENMAPS is implemented by the United Nations Development Programme through the funding of the Global Environment Facility, and with the ACB as the executing agency. The project began in March 2024 and will run until March 2029 to conserve critical marine ecosystems, enhance sustainable fisheries, and ensure the full participation of indigenous peoples and local communities in the process.