IPIL, Zamboanga Sibugay โ The PhilippineโEast ASEAN Growth Area (P-EAGA) Environment Cluster held its second semester meeting on October 22โ23 at Badsbro Hotel here to align regional environmental programs and strengthen cooperation among Mindanao regions.
P-EAGA is the Philippine component of the Brunei DarussalamโIndonesiaโMalaysiaโPhilippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA), a sub-regional economic cooperation initiative established in 1994 to accelerate growth in less-developed and geographically distant areas of participating countries, including Mindanao and Palawan.
The meeting, hosted by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Region IX, gathered 27 officials and staff from DENR Regional Offices IX, X, XI, XII, XIII, BARMM, and MIMAROPA, along with representatives from the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA).
Ipil Mayor Ramses Troy Olegario welcomed the delegates, stressing that environmental cooperation is key to sustainable growth. โThe environment is the foundation upon which sustainable growth stands,โ Olegario said.
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P-EAGA: ‘Balanced Development’
Representing the OIC Regional Executive Director, DENR Assistant Regional Director for Management Services Marie Angelique C. Go reaffirmed the agencyโs commitment to advancing P-EAGAโs shared environmental goals focused on cooperation, sustainability, and climate resilience.
โThrough collaboration and shared responsibility, we can pursue balanced development that protects both our natural resources and the communities that depend on them,โ Go said.
DENR Region XI Assistant Regional Director and P-EAGA Environment Cluster Deputy Head Victor T. Billones said the meeting was timely as the sub-region transitions from the BIMP-EAGA Vision 2025 to Vision 2035, which highlights green growth, circular economy, low-carbon development, and nature-based solutions.
โOur continued collaboration is vital to achieving these goals,โ Billones said, as he presided over discussions and updates on ongoing environmental initiatives, including programs to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, promote green production among small and medium enterprises (SMEs), and strengthen conservation efforts such as the Turtle Islands Heritage Protected Area (TIHPA).
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MinDA also presented updates on inter-agency coordination to align regional environmental priorities under the P-EAGA framework.
Before the meeting, participants visited the Sibugay Wetland Nature Reserve, a Ramsar Site known for its biodiversity. They toured the Lapu-Lapu Culture Area, the Seedling Production Nursery for Mangrove Propagules, and a Talaba (oyster) farm, and walked along the boardwalk where they observed local wildlife, including bat colonies.
Why It Matters
The activity was organized with support from the Provincial Government of Zamboanga Sibugay, the LGU of Siay, the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO), and the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) Kabasalan.
The gathering served as a platform to harmonize environmental efforts in support of the BIMP-EAGA framework and the countryโs sustainable development goals. Officials said P-EAGAโs initiatives directly contribute to the Philippinesโ national climate resilience strategy, helping local governments and communities build adaptive capacity, protect critical ecosystems, and promote inclusive, low-carbon growth across Mindanao and Palawan.
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