Philippines to continue supporting migratory species

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines will continue to collaborate with the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) and support global efforts to protect migratory species and habitats critical to their survival.

Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu said, “Conserving migratory species, as we know, is a shared responsibility. Thus, we should endeavor to promote political support and awareness among our constituents, and the importance of taking concerted action against the threats to migratory species.”

Cimatu, head of the Philippine delegation to the CMS-COP12, also extended the country’s “commitment of full support and cooperation” to ensure the success of the 13th session of the Conference of Parties to be held in India in 2020.

The 12th Session of the COP to the CMS (COP12) was held at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City in the last week of October.

The environment chief also thanked the delegates, observers, the people and organizations behind the successful Philippine hosting of the “world’s largest wildlife conference in 2017.”

COP12, which marked the first time a CMS global event was held in Asia, broke attendance record with more than 1,000 participants from 93 countries.

At the same time, Cimatu expressed his gratitude to the delegates for adopting the resolutions proposed by the Philippines, including the listing of butan-ding and four other migratory species frequenting the country on the CMS appendices, and the recognition of the important role of migratory species in achieving sustainable development goals, also known as the “Manila Declaration.” 

“The Manila Declaration on sustainable development and migratory species, enriched by the outcome of the high level segment conducted back-to-back at the beginning of this conference, and adopted by the COP takes full cognizance that wildlife supports many national and global economic activities,” Cimatu said. 

With the approval of five Philippine-drafted resolutions providing greater protection for migratory species, butanding and Christmas island frigatebird will now be listed on Appendix I of the CMS, while the yellow bunting, black noddy and white-spotted wedgefish will be included in Appendix II. 

The Manila Declaration calls on 124 countries, which are signatories to the CMS, to develop frameworks and implement relevant plans that would harmonize the CMS’ goals on wildlife protection with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals identified by the UN in 2015.

Drafted by the Philippine delegation led by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the declaration acknowledges the significant contribution of migratory wildlife to sustainable development, especially in the areas of agriculture, forestry, fisheries, tourism, energy, transport and trade.

The CMS, under the auspices of the UN Environment Program, is the only global environmental treaty established exclusively for the conservation and management of terrestrial, marine and avian migratory species throughout their range.