LUNA, Apayao – Decision-makers, conservation advocates, and government officials met for a joint meeting of the Provincial Development Council (PDC), Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC), Biosphere Reserve of the yApayaos Council (BRyAC), and Kapehan sa Kapitolyo on March 6, 2025, at the Aliwa Gym in barangay San Isidro.
Presided over by Board Member Vincent Talattag and Lone District Representative Eleanor C. Bulut-Begtang, the meeting served as a venue for tackling development priorities, disaster preparedness, and the province’s role as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
Among those in attendance were Sangguniang Panlalawigan Board Members, department heads, municipal mayors, and representatives from national line agencies, and conservation partners, including UNESCO Philippine National Commission (UNACOM) Secretary-General Dr. Ivan Anthony Henares, delegates from the Palawan and Albay Biosphere Reserves, and the Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF).
Discussions covered council membership, governance, disaster response strategies, and biosphere reserve management. Provincial Planning and Development Coordinator Engr. Henry Caluducan addressed the PDC’s composition, prompting Congresswoman Bulut-Begtang to recommend integrating the Office of the Congress into sector committees and including religious sectors in PDC discussions. Meanwhile, Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management PDRRM Officer Jeoffrey Borromeo presented the council’s 2024 accomplishments and outlined priority programs, projects, and activities for 2025.
One of the highlights of the meeting was Apayao’s designation as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, a status that positions the province as a leader in conservation and sustainable development. Dr. Henares lauded Apayao’s efforts and highlighted the opportunities that come with the recognition.
Further solidifying the province’s conservation direction, Engr. Caluducan presented the BRyA Management Plan (2025-2035), which gained the approval of Governor Elias C. Bulut, Jr.
The governor thanked all those who contributed to securing Apayao’s biosphere reserve status and stressed that the responsibility of conservation does not end with recognition, “it must be passed onto future generations,” he said. He likewise highlighted the Important role of the Department of Education in embedding environmental awareness in the curriculum so that young yApayaos understand the importance of protecting the province’s natural heritage.
“We will leave this to the next generation for them to see the forests we have protected, and for them to continue what we have started,” Governor Bulut said. By Krizza Joy Castillo
