SEARICE bats for protection of rights of indigenous peoples and local communities in PHL Access Benefit Sharing roadmap

Stakeholders participate in the Access and Benefit Sharing Roadmap and Finance Mechanism national workshop. Credit: ABS Project.

At a national workshop to formulate the Philippines' Access Benefit Sharing Research and Development Roadmap and Financing, SEARICE lobbied to ensure that the interests of indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLCs) are protected in the roadmap, advocated for mandatory transparency, pushed for CSO involvement throughout the value chain, encouraged the prioritization of smallholder producers, and the creation of an ABS Central Fund for financing once a law on Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) is passed. SEARICE likewise advocated for these elements to be integrated as provisions in the ABS bill that is being lobbied in Senate and Congress.

The ABS Project is the Philippines' initiative to strengthen compliance with the Nagoya Protocol, an international agreement that seeks to provide a transparent legal framework to implement the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources1. The project is funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and implemented by the DENR-BMB with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

The national workshop was organized on 11-13 September 2024 by the ABS Project in coordination with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Biodiversity Management Bureau.

SEARICE has consistently led local and international negotiations on ABS to make sure that IPLCs are given the recognition and benefits, especially economic ones. The ABS mechanism is aligned with the goal of SEARICE to promote community empowerment and the protection of traditional knowledge and practices.

SEARICE's plant genetic resources conservation project in Kabankalan, Negros Occidental is a potential biocluster for ABS. SEARICE and local partners and in partnership with the Central Philippine State University (CPSU) are currently finalizing the biocultural community protocols for a local gene bank in line with the project. [Ends]