Conservation program aims to offset harm to environment, protect wildlife
Conglomerate San Miguel Corp. launched the country’s first biodiversity offset program (BOP) in Bulacan province to minimize the environmental impacts of its huge airport project on the local ecosystem.
Unit San Miguel Aerocity Inc. (SMAI) inaugurated its ‘Saribuhay sa Dampalit’ project in Barangay Pamarawan, Malolos, Bulacan in late February to balance development efforts in building the New Manila International Airport project (NMAI) with environmental preservation.
The program also seeks to support local livelihoods and address flooding issues in Bulacan’s flood-prone areas.
Biodiversity offsets are conservation initiatives that aim to compensate for the lasting impacts of development on species and ecosystems. They are designed to minimize the environmental impacts of a development project by ensuring any damage in one place is compensated for somewhere else.
The pilot BOP site in Pamarawan covers 40 hectares with plans to expand to 800 hectares of offset sites across various areas.
The launch event was attended by Department of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga, Undersecretary Juan Miguel Cuna, Undersecretary Augusto dela Peña, Undersecretary Ignatius Rodriguez, Dutch Ambassador Marielle Geraedts and representatives from SMAI.
“The Saribuhay sa Dampalit project is an integrative approach to development that respects and enhances the natural environment alongside our infrastructure objectives. We firmly believe that progress and nature can co-exist, benefiting both the ecosystem and the local community. We thank everyone involved―from our partners in government, environmental groups and local community members for helping make this possible ,” said San Miguel president and chief executive officer Ramon S. Ang.
Adhering to the International Finance Corp. (IFC) environment and social standards, the project has provided a rich feeding ground to visiting migratory birds, which have been in record number this time of the year. The offset site constructed by SMAI has successfully provided sufficient food for the shorebirds.
Yulo-Loyzaga noted that that San Miguel’s initiative was the first and the largest scale biodiversity offset project in the country.
She stressed the importance of embracing the mitigation hierarchy for net positive infrastructure development, highlighting its importance in building inclusive and resilient communities while protecting biodiversity for future generations.
SMAI’s efforts include a range of scientifically grounded measures to ensure the newly-created habitats meet the specific needs of the wildlife they aim to protect. More importantly, the BOP project has engaged local residents affected by the NMIA project, providing employment and raising awareness about the importance of preserving migratory shorebirds.
“By involving local residents in our efforts, we’re not just building infrastructure, we are cultivating a community that values and actively contributes to environmental preservation,” said SMAI project director Cecile Ang.
She is optimistic the project will extend beyond wildlife protection, potentially turning the area into a prime location for bird-watching, boosting tourism and creating even more opportunities for local communities.
