As we mark World Bee Day on May 20, spare a thought for these small creatures. But spare more than a thought — for bees are not just insects, they are the most important living creatures on Earth. And their very existence is under threat.
At the May general assembly of the Negros Occidental Garden Club, hosted by the Sampaguita Group, beekeeper Freddie Lozada — focal person of the Bee Program of Brgy. Gawahon Livelihood on Apiculture Development Association (Bee GLAD) at Gawahon Eco-Park in Victorias City, Negros Occidental — warned: “Without bees, the world as we know it will slowly come to a grinding halt.”
Lozada stressed that “bees are the lifeblood of our food supply and biodiversity. They pollinate the fruits, vegetables and flowers we depend on, sustaining ecosystems and agriculture alike. Without bees, harvests would collapse, biodiversity would shrink and the balance of nature would unravel.” Their disappearance, he cautioned, “would not be a minor inconvenience — it would be a catastrophe for humanity.”
Yet across the world, bee populations are in decline. Pesticides poison them, habitat loss robs them of food and shelter, climate change disrupts their feeding cycles and parasites weaken their colonies. The warning signs are clear: when bees suffer, we all suffer.
In the Philippines, wild bees are especially vital. Species such as the stingless bees, the Philippine giant honey bees (Apis dorsata) and the Liguan honeybee (Apis cerana) thrive in forests, farms and gardens, pollinating fruit trees, vegetables and wildflowers. Unlike managed honeybees, many wild species are solitary or live in small colonies, making them more vulnerable to environmental change. Their protection is inseparable from the protection of local communities.
That is why programs across the country are stepping up — not only to conserve wild bees but also to empower people. One model is PCP4NBS “Nurturing Gawahon: a community–driven approach for utilizing nature-based solutions, fostering gender equality and harnessing ecotourism.” Based in Victorias City in partnership with Forest Foundation Philippines Inc. (FFPI) and the Government of Canada, this initiative shows how conservation can go hand-in-hand with livelihood. Through reforestation, sustainable honey production, organizational strengthening and capacity building, the program nurtures native bee species while improving resilience and empowering families.
But protecting bees is not just the responsibility of scientists, beekeepers or farmers — it is something everyone can do, especially gardeners. “Planting bee-friendly flowers, avoiding harmful chemicals, leaving wild corners untouched, offering water and supporting local honey producers are simple acts,” Lozada said. “Repeated across thousands of gardens and households, they add up to powerful protection for pollinators and the ecosystems they sustain.”
The message is clear: protecting bees protects people. Every effort to nurture wild bee populations is also an effort to nurture communities, strengthen food security and safeguard the environment for generations to come. As World Bee Day approaches, let us remember that the fight to save bees is also a fight to sustain life itself. By protecting bees, we protect our food supply, our biodiversity and ultimately, ourselves.
