Conservation organization World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Philippines today honored four groups, hailing them as Conservation Heroes in an award ceremony held online. 

The Conservation Hero Award was given to four local organizations during WWF-Philippines’ Partners Night 2021, with the theme Change the Ending. The  awards ceremony has been held online for the second consecutive year due to the pandemic. The groups are:

• Kalipunan ng Liping Pilipina (Kalipi)
• Gulf of Lagonoy Tuna Fishers Association
• Occidental Mindoro Federation of Tuna Fishers Association
• Our City 2030 Youth Facilitators

“Our awardees tonight are Conservation Heroes because they have committed, acted and most importantly, delivered impacts that change the ending for their communities. They did this during  a very challenging pandemic year and held steadfast to their goal. Their example shows that daily re-commitment to doing the right things for the environment, working together,  and going beyond individual concerns, results in positive transformation,” said WWF-Philippines Executive Director Katherine Custodio.

The Conservation Hero Award is given annually to individuals or organizations who made significant impacts for the environment and their communities. The first awardee of the night, KALIPI, is a women-owned enterprise in Donsol, Sorsogon, that manufactures plush toys and household items using shredded plastic waste as filling material. The group secured DTI accreditation for their small business, and have provided livelihood opportunities at the same time preventing plastic waste from polluting their coastal areas that are home to the Butanding. 

The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification received by the Gulf of Lagonoy Tuna Fishers Federation and the Occidental Mindoro Federation of Tuna Fishers Association’s - the first MSC certification in the Philippines - is an important milestone towards the sustainability of our fisheries. The MSC certification is an eco-label that recognizes sustainable fishing practices and rewards efforts to protect oceans and safeguard seafood supplies for the future. 

The fourth Conservation Hero Award went to the Our City 2030 Youth Facilitators. These student volunteers from various schools in Quezon City led their fellow youth

WWF-Philippines also awarded the Conservation Leadership Award to Bank of the Philippine Islands and BPI Foundation in recognition of  forward-thinking initiatives that cut across a broad and connected range of environmental themes,  from providing business risk assessment of climate change impacts in four cities - Cabanatuan, Tagum, Tarlac and Calbayog, providing training, equipment and support  for farmers and fisherfolk, and advancing food and livelihood security in 24 communities across the country. Globe Fintech Innovations (GCash) received the Conservation Innovation Award for applying their digital technology and platforms for reforestation and environmental education, thus enabling Filipinos to participate in protecting the environment,  through the GForest project. 

The Partners Night is WWF-Philippines to recognize and thank partners in conservation. This year’s program was hosted by WWF-Philippines Ambassadors Marc Nelson and Pia Wurtzbach.