WWF-Philippines strongly condemns the anonymous death threats sent to Deign Soriano, a member of its National Youth Council (NYC), last July 13 and 17, 2020. The anonymous death threats alluded to the tree-cutting issue where at least 54 trees in the City of Baguio will be cut to make way for a planned subdivision. Soriano, a junior faculty member of the Department of Biology at the University of the Philippines Baguio and a staunch youth environmental leader, was invited together with the lead researcher to present their study on urban forests and its importance in an urban landscape under the Cordillera Studies Center (CSC) Interdisciplinary Team Research Grant (ITRG) program of the university. He has been engaged with WWF-Philippines as an NYC member since 2016.

WWF-Philippines urges our decision makers to listen to and support science-based insights, research, and solutions in order to solve our pressing environmental issues. Now more than ever, it is vital for us to consider planetary health in ensuring the health of human society. We are voicing our support for the City of Baguio’s plan to push for a moratorium on tree-cutting activities in the city.