LUNA, Apayao – Women, youth, elders, and indigenous leaders gathered at Clubhouse of Apayao Eco Tourism and Sports Complex in San Gregorio, Luna, on March 6, 2025, for a Community Consultation on Gender and Development (GAD) led by UNESCO Philippine National Commission (UNACOM) Deputy Executive Director Lindsay A. Barrientos.
The discussion put the spotlight on their role in protecting the environment and promoting its status as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
Unlike technical policy meetings, this consultation made room for voices often left unheard. Participants spoke on the realities of conservation in their communities, the challenges of balancing tradition with environmental protection, and the need for policies shaped by those who live closest to the land.
A huge part of the discussion was UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Program, which pushes for development that does not come at nature’s expense. Organizers emphasized that indigenous communities must be at the center of conversation of inclusivity, not just as beneficiaries, but as decision-makers.
Women and elders shared how traditional knowledge has long guided environmental stewardship, a reality often overlooked in modern governance. The youth raised concerns about how climate change and deforestation are reshaping their future and asked how they can take an active role.
The consultation laid bare a truth often overlooked – that conservation is not dictated by policies on paper but by the people who have lived with the land, protected it, and now demand a say in how it is cared for moving forward. By Diocen Tolentino
