The Access and Benefit-Sharing (ABS) Project organized a side event at the 16th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP16) in Cali, Colombia on October 24, 2024.
Over 20 participants gathered to spotlight the Philippines’ commitment to biodiversity conservation and equitable benefit-sharing.
The event opened with an introduction to the recently updated Philippine Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (PBSAP), expected to be submitted at COP16, by Elpidio Peria, ABS Project Policy Specialist, on behalf of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
Anthony Foronda, national project manager of the ABS Project, introduced the project and stressed its role in implementing the Nagoya Protocol since its launch in June 2022, featuring its first ABS agreement through an audio-visual presentation.
Philip Cruz, president of Herbanext Laboratories Inc., showcased the importance of partnerships between the private sector and Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs) in promoting sustainable development and biodiversity conservation.
He highlighted the successful collaboration between Herbanext and the Maporac Ayta indigenous community, demonstrating how ABS initiatives foster economic opportunities for IPLCs.
