Philippines

National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan

South-Eastern AsiaApplies 2024–2040Source: Philippine Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (PBSAP) 2024–2040

1. Overview

The Philippine Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (PBSAP) 2024-2040 is the country's biodiversity framework aligned with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) adopted at COP15 in December 2022. A National Consultation on updating the PBSAP was convened in August 2024, with opening remarks delivered by Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo Loyzaga of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) [§8]. The Government of the Philippines led development through DENR's Biodiversity Management Bureau (DENR-BMB), with more than a thousand participants from national government agencies, civil society organisations, Indigenous Peoples and local communities, academic institutions, development partners, and the private sector engaged in consultation workshops beginning in February 2023 [§5].

The strategy sets 23 national commitments* aligned one-for-one with the 23 GBF Targets, organised under five themes: Ecosystem Conservation, Wildlife Conservation, Business and Biodiversity, Biodiversity Impacts, and Means of Implementation [§30]. Sitting above these is a second tier of five higher-order national commitments***The PBSAP calls these "five key conservation targets" or "overarching targets". This page treats them as higher-tier national commitments.The PBSAP labels these 23 items "targets" numbered in parallel with GBF Targets 1–23. This page uses "national commitment" to distinguish them from the GBF Targets themselves. Numbering is close but not always identical in scope: the PBSAP merges GBF Targets 5 and 9 into a single national commitment on sustainable wildlife harvest. — 2040 headline aims on conservation coverage, species recovery, climate adaptation, sustainable production, and benefit flows [§37]. The strategy adopts a biogeographic approach across land and sea, takes a "whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach", and identifies six drivers of biodiversity loss: climate change, pollution, overexploitation, invasive alien species, habitat loss and fragmentation, and institutional challenges [§8, §30].

The plan's five themes are the country's own organising frame and do not map to the four GBF Goals (A–D). The vision — "By 2040, Philippine biodiversity is valued, enhanced, effectively conserved and managed through inclusive and transformative actions delivering climate-resilient ecosystems and sustained benefits to Filipino communities" — is carried under the tagline "Biodiversity nurtured, resiliency improved, our future secured" [§2, §30].

The PBSAP 2024-2040 is anchored on a 2040 horizon rather than 2030, sets national conservation coverage at 24% terrestrial and 16% marine (below the global 30x30 headline), and runs a parallel Indigenous Peoples' plan — the IPBSAP — alongside the main strategy. Its single explicit 2030 milestone is the establishment of Harvest Control Rules under two named statutes.

Sources:

  • §2 — Vision
  • §5 — Acknowledgements
  • §8 — SUMMARY
  • §30 — PBSAP Tagline and Vision; PBSAP Framework
  • §37 — PBSAP 2024-2040 Targets and Indicators (five key targets)

2. Ecological Context

The Philippines is one of 17 megadiverse countries, an archipelago of 7,641 islands covering 298,170 km² of land bounded by 36,289 km of coastline, 586,435 km² of archipelagic waters, a 134,525.53 km² continental shelf (including the Philippine Rise), and 78,025.94 km² under Presidential Decree 1596 including the Kalayaan Group of Islands [§9]. The country hosts over 25,000 endemic species, with more than 75% of its nearly 200 mammal species found nowhere else on Earth [§12]. The Wallace Line separates Asian fauna from the marsupials of Australia and New Guinea; Huxley's modification further distinguishes the Philippines, with Palawan the only part of the archipelago on the Sunda Shelf [§12]. Single-island endemism is common — the Tawi-Tawi archipelago hosts the Philippine-endemic Sulu hornbill (Anthracoceros montani), described in the plan as the rarest and most endangered hornbill in the world [§11]. The country contains 6 marine and 16 terrestrial biogeographic zones (DENR-UNEP, 1997) and 12 identified forest formations [§10, §11]. It holds 14 of the 62 ASEAN Heritage Parks, two of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites; Apo Reef is the second-largest contiguous coral reef in the world [§11, §22].

The PBSAP identifies six drivers of biodiversity loss [§8, §30]:

  • Climate change. The Philippines ranks first on the 2024 World Risk Index as the most vulnerable country to disasters caused by extreme events; economic costs from natural hazards between 2011 and 2021 reached PHP 673.3 billion in damages [§14]. The National Adaptation Plan identifies 18 provinces as high-exposure areas to climate change and 18 provinces as high-risk sites for fisher livelihoods [§15].
  • Habitat loss and fragmentation. Forest cover has fallen from 21 million hectares in the early 1900s to 7.2 million hectares, attributed to logging, agricultural expansion, and urban development [§17].
  • Overexploitation. As of 2017, 10 of 13 major fishing grounds were overfished; illegal wildlife trade is valued at ₱50 billion annually [§18].
  • Pollution. The country contributes approximately 163 million plastic sachets daily to microplastic waste and generates 2.3 million tons of plastic waste annually, only 28% of which is recycled; in February 2023 the MT Princess Empress spilled 800,000 litres of industrial fuel oil in Oriental Mindoro, affecting the MIMAROPA, Region VI, and CALABARZON administrative regions [§19].
  • Invasive alien species (IAS). Invasives disrupt native biodiversity through competition, predation, disease spread, and ecosystem alteration [§20].
  • Institutional challenges. Government agencies frequently concentrate on their specific mandates; biodiversity threats are interrelated and demand integrated, collaborative strategies [§21].

Sources:

  • §9 — Philippine Biodiversity (overview)
  • §10 — Habitat Diversity
  • §11 — 12 Forest Formations
  • §12 — Species Diversity
  • §14 — Climate Change (World Risk Index)
  • §15 — High Exposure Areas
  • §17 — Habitat Loss and Fragmentation
  • §18 — Overharvesting
  • §19 — Pollution
  • §20 — Invasive Alien Species
  • §21 — Institutional Challenges
  • §22 — Ecosystems: Nature's Gifts That Keep On Giving

3. National Commitments and GBF Alignment

The PBSAP's five higher-tier national commitments set 2040 headline aims [§37]: increase effectively managed conservation areas to 24% terrestrial and 16% marine; reduce extinction risk and restore species and genetic diversity; minimise climate and disaster impacts through nature-based solutions (NbS); sustainably manage agriculture, aquaculture, fisheries, and forestry; and improve benefit flows from sustainable use of production areas. Below these sit the 23 themed national commitments aligned with GBF Targets 1–23 [§40–§42]. Grouped by PBSAP theme:

Strategic conservation and area-based management (Targets 1, 2, 3, 12)

The plan commits to biodiversity-inclusive spatial analysis and planning across at least 24% of terrestrial and inland water areas and 16% of coastal and marine areas by 2040 (Target 1); restoration of at least 30% of degraded ecosystems by 2040 (Target 2); effective conservation and management of 24%/16% of land and sea by 2040 (Target 3); and increased urban green and blue spaces, with a 5% increase in green space across 5 major cities by 2040 (Target 12) [§32, §40]. All four are measurable commitments. The 24%/16% national coverage sets the PBSAP below the global 30x30 headline and translates to 7.44 million hectares of land and 35.24 million hectares of sea [§43].

Wildlife and species (Targets 4, 5, 6, 9)

Commitments include improved governance and management regimes for threatened species, native crops, livestock, wild relatives, and their genetic resources (Target 4; directional aspiration); 10 in-situ and ex-situ gene banks, seed banks, and nurseries of native species and an 80% decrease in poaching incidents in protected areas by 2040 (Target 4 outputs; measurable commitments); a merged national commitment on sustainable wildlife harvest anchored in Republic Act (RA) 9147 (Wildlife Act) and RA 10654 (Philippine Fisheries Code), with Harvest Control Rules and Reference Points in place by 2030 (Targets 5 and 9; the PBSAP's only explicit 2030 interim commitment); and a 50% reduction in the spread of IAS in protected areas by 2040, with 2 priority IAS eradicated, controlled, or managed (Target 6; measurable) [§33, §40, §41].

Biodiversity impacts — pollution, climate, production, trade (Targets 7, 8, 10, 11, 13, 15)

The plan commits to a 50% reduction in nutrient run-off and pesticide-related impacts on non-target organisms and a 50% improvement in soil and water quality in target sites by 2040 (Target 7; measurable) [§34, §41]; minimisation of climate impacts in target sites through NbS, Ecosystem-based Approaches (EbA), and Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Practices (IKSP) by 2040 (Target 8; directional aspiration) [§40]; sustainable management of agriculture, fisheries, aquaculture, and forestry production in target sites (Target 10; directional aspiration) [§41]; 20 effective, adequately funded NbS and 6 Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) agreements by 2040 (Target 11; measurable) [§34]; 6 Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) agreements by 2040 covering genetic resources, associated traditional knowledge, and digital sequence information (DSI), with benefits flowing to Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs), women, and youth (Target 13; measurable) [§34, §41]; and adoption of an Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) framework with biodiversity elements by business and financial entities, with regular nature-related disclosures (Target 15; directional aspiration) [§41].

Mainstreaming, sustainable consumption, biosafety, harmful incentives (Targets 14, 16, 17, 18)

Commitments include full mainstreaming of biodiversity across all levels of government and all sectors by 2040 (Target 14; directional aspiration) [§42]; development, adoption, and implementation of policy instruments for the shift to sustainable consumption and production (Target 16; directional aspiration) [§42]; biosafety measures and regulations in place and implemented, including an operational national protocol on biotechnology administration and handling (Target 17; directional aspiration) [§34, §41]; and repurposing 50% of upland agricultural subsidies with unintended environmental footprint towards biodiversity-friendly agricultural practices by 2040 (Target 18; measurable) [§34, §42].

Means of implementation (Targets 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)

The plan commits to narrowing the PBSAP financing gap by 20% by 2040 (Target 19; measurable as a relative reduction, though the PBSAP's annual requirement is not stated in dollars or pesos in the sections provided) [§35, §42]; mechanisms for continuing capacity-building and technology transfer in place (Target 20; directional aspiration) [§42]; improved interoperability of biodiversity information systems, supported, secured, and publicly accessible (Target 21; directional aspiration) [§42]; and equitable, inclusive, gender-responsive representation, participation, and access to justice, alongside equitable representation in governing bodies such as Protected Area Management Boards (PAMB), watershed management councils, and forest land management bodies (Targets 22 and 23; directional aspirations) [§42].

Of the 23 themed national commitments, 11 are measurable commitments with quantitative thresholds tied to 2040, the merged Targets 5 and 9 commitment carries an explicit 2030 interim milestone on Harvest Control Rules, and the remainder are directional aspirations.

Sources:

  • §32 — Ecosystems Conservation outputs
  • §33 — Wildlife/Species Conservation outputs
  • §34 — Biodiversity Impacts outputs
  • §35 — Means of Implementation outputs
  • §37 — Five key conservation targets
  • §40 — Targets 1–12
  • §41 — Targets 13–18 (RA 9147, RA 10654)
  • §42 — Targets 19–23
  • §43 — The 30x30 Target

4. Delivery Architecture

Delivery is anchored in named legislation and standardised mechanisms under DENR leadership with the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development as co-chair [§45].

Legislation and natural-resource accounting. Three statutes anchor the Action Portfolio. RA 9147 (Wildlife Act) sets allowable limits for legal wildlife harvest and captive breeding [§41]. RA 10654 (Philippine Fisheries Code) governs capture fisheries [§41]. RA 11995 establishes the Philippine Environment and Natural Capital Accounting System (PENCAS), which mandates comprehensive natural resource accounting covering the physical and monetary valuation of ecosystems, and is operationalised through the Sukat ng Kalikasan framework — described by the plan as a "science-driven, standardized" ecosystem-services valuation system, positioned in support of the 30x30 target and the High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People [§50]. Natural-capital accounting under PENCAS supplies the data foundation for the ESG disclosure regime described in Section 6.

Agriculture, aquaculture, fisheries, and forestry. Production-sector delivery runs through Biodiversity-Friendly Agricultural Practices (BDFAP) and climate-smart agriculture aligned with national and local plans; recognition of 10 Nationally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (NIAHS) by 2040; and compliance of regional and provincial development plans with the National Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization and Industrialization Plan (NAFMIP) guidelines [§34, §41].

Market mechanisms and corporate disclosure. Three instruments structure private-sector engagement: 6 PES agreements and 20 funded NbS by 2040; 6 ABS agreements with benefits explicitly flowing to IPLCs, women, and youth, covering genetic resources, associated traditional knowledge, and DSI; and an ESG framework with biodiversity elements adopted by publicly listed companies and government financial and non-financial institutions, with nature-related disclosures [§34, §41, §42]. Full finance treatment is in Section 6.

Private-sector watershed stewardship. The Energy Development Corporation (EDC) — described in the plan as the country's largest renewable energy producer and the world's largest vertically integrated geothermal energy producer — is deputised to manage 127,608 hectares of forestlands across four geothermal reservations (Bacon-Manito, Tongonan, Palinpinon, and Mt. Apo) and implements the Biodiversity Conservation and Monitoring Program (BCMP) in partnership with the University of the Philippines Diliman Institute of Biology's Biodiversity Research Laboratory [§51].

Urban biodiversity. City-level delivery operates through the City Biodiversity Index (CBI) and the Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG) indicators on urban green and blue spaces [§41].

Knowledge platforms. Named delivery platforms include the Clearing House Mechanism (CHM), the Living Planet Index, and Indigenous Peoples' community-based information systems [§42].

Sources:

  • §34 — Biodiversity Impacts outputs
  • §41 — Targets 13–18
  • §42 — Targets 19–23
  • §43 — The 30x30 Target
  • §45 — Implementing the PBSAP
  • §50 — PENCAS and Sukat ng Kalikasan
  • §51 — Energy Development Corporation

4a. A parallel plan for Indigenous Peoples: the IPBSAP

The Indigenous Peoples' Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (IPBSAP) is a separately-authored companion document "formulated by and for indigenous peoples" through a year-long series of consultations and presented at the PBSAP National Consultation [§47]. The plan describes the IPBSAP as "the first of its kind in the world" [§47]. Rather than folding IPLC provisions into a single chapter of the main strategy, the Philippines runs a parallel plan that threads through multiple national commitments: Target 13 on ABS names IPLCs, women, and youth as specific beneficiaries of non-monetary benefits from genetic resources and DSI; Target 22 names IPBSAP implementation as an action; Target 23 sets representation in PAMB, watershed management councils, and forest land management bodies; and Means-of-Implementation outputs commit to institutionalising IKSP in biodiversity conservation activities [§35, §41, §42, §47].

4b. Subnational architecture: Regional Development Councils as the PBSAP's delivery spine

The PBSAP operationalises through subnational BSAPs and Regional Development Council (RDC) resolutions rather than a single national implementation track. The Negros Island Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NIBSAP) 2018-2028, covering Negros Oriental and Negros Occidental, adopts a landscape-seascape integrated management approach with biodiversity financing from local funds increasing over time [§46]. Following the consolidation of both provinces, the Western Visayas Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (WVBSAP) is endorsed through RDC VI Resolution No. 145 (2023), which enjoins provincial local government units (LGUs) and regional line agencies to provide funding and technical support [§46]. In Region XII (SOCCSKSARGEN), RDC XII Resolution No. 12 (2024) supports the PBSAP and paves the way for regional mainstreaming aligned with the Regional Development Plan 2023-2028 [§48]. In Cagayan Valley, RDC II Resolution No. 02-05 (2022) adopts measures to address herbicide use in upland corn farming, responding to unregulated herbicide use and a provincial request to encourage farmers to halt destructive practices; the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and Department of Agriculture provide alternatives including BDFAP, with discussions ongoing on subsidy incentives for glyphosate-tolerant corn varieties that may exacerbate forest conversion to farmland [§49]. A national–local Executive Order that will further operationalise PBSAP coordination is referenced as forthcoming; no issuance date is stated [§45].

5. Monitoring and Accountability

Institutional leadership. DENR is the lead agency, with the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development as co-chair, supported by multistakeholder mechanisms [§45]. An Executive Order providing guidance on operationalising the PBSAP at national and local levels is referenced in the plan as forthcoming; no issuance date is stated [§45]. Per-target co-leads are referenced but not enumerated in the source material [§45].

Indicator framework. Indicators are organised against each of the 23 national commitments and span area-based metrics (hectares under effective management, sites with approved management plans, hectares under restoration and threat-reduction programs); species and enforcement metrics (Red List Index, threatened species improving in status, economically important species with collection permits, Wildlife and Fishery enforcement desks at airports and seaports); pollution and agricultural reform metrics (fertilizer and pesticide policy compliance, import volumes of highly toxic categories, LGUs with zero single-use plastic ordinances, soil and water quality testing plots); urban metrics (cities adopting the CBI and compliant with SGLG indicators); and governance metrics (percentage representation of IPs and other stakeholders in PAMB, watershed management councils, and forest land management bodies) [§40, §41, §42].

Baselines and gaps. Several indicators named in the PBSAP are not paired with baseline figures in the source sections provided: the baseline for poaching incidents against which the 80% decrease is measured [§33]; the current percentage of the national budget allocated to biodiversity [§42]; the current effectiveness baseline for the 248 protected areas against which the 24%/16% effective management commitment is framed [§9, §40]; and the enumerated list of "target sites" that recurs across multiple indicators (Targets 2, 7, 8, 10, 11, 15). The PBSAP does not state these in the sections provided.

Reporting cycle. The source material provided does not specify a reporting cycle for the PBSAP distinct from Convention on Biological Diversity national reporting obligations.

Sources:

  • §9 — Protected-area inventory
  • §33 — Wildlife/Species outputs
  • §40 — Targets 1–12 indicators
  • §41 — Targets 13–18 indicators
  • §42 — Targets 19–23 indicators
  • §45 — Implementing the PBSAP

6. Finance and Resource Mobilisation

The PBSAP frames resource mobilisation under Target 19 as a national commitment to increase financing for biodiversity-related Programs, Activities, and Projects (PAPs) "to support the annual requirement of PBSAP" [§42]. The Means-of-Implementation output commits to narrowing the PBSAP financing gap by 20% by 2040 [§35]. The PBSAP positions this national commitment against the KMGBF global headline of mobilising $200 billion per year for biodiversity from all sources, including $30 billion through international finance [§42]. The PBSAP does not state a national budget figure, a costed financing plan, or a Philippine-specific counterpart to the $200 billion / $30 billion benchmarks; Target 19 is framed as a relative reduction in an annual PBSAP requirement that is not itself quantified in the sections provided.

Indicators tracking resource mobilisation [§42]: the percentage of the total national budget allocated to biodiversity conservation; the amount of investment reflected in the national accounts and local Annual Investment Plan; the percentage of private, Official Development Assistance (ODA), and other funding sources; the number of innovative funding and fiduciary measures developed and applied; and the number of PES agreements per target site.

Market mechanisms. The plan targets 6 PES agreements by 2040 and 20 adequately funded nature-based solutions [§34]. The total economic value of Apo Reef Natural Park across its ecosystem services is cited at PHP 1 billion (Milan, 2017; BIOFIN, 2024), drawn on as an ecosystem-valuation exemplar underpinning NbS and PES framing [§22].

Harmful-incentive reform. The plan commits by 2040 to reducing, repurposing, redirecting, or eliminating programs with unintended ecological footprints, with a quantified sub-target of 50% of upland agricultural subsidies with unintended environmental footprint repurposed towards biodiversity-friendly agricultural practices [§34, §42]. No counterpart figure is stated for the global KMGBF $500 billion harmful-subsidy benchmark.

Private-sector disclosure. Publicly listed companies and government financial and non-financial institutions are to adopt an ESG framework with biodiversity elements and regularly report or disclose biodiversity risks, dependencies, and impacts by 2040 [§41]. Indicators track ESG compliance counts, nature-related and agri-based disclosure policies developed and adopted, and development project compliance with risk disclosure guidelines, biodiversity standards, and safeguards [§41]. The PENCAS / Sukat ng Kalikasan natural-capital accounting framework supplies the data foundation for disclosure (see Section 4) [§50].

International and mixed financing channels. PBSAP development itself was financed through the Government of the Philippines (DENR-BMB), Forest Foundation Philippines (FFP), Foundation for Philippine Environment (FPE), the USAID Sustainable Intervention for Biodiversity, Ocean and Landscapes (SIBOL) Project, and UNDP/GEF projects including the Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN), Early Action Support (EAS), Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS), and the Integrated Approach in Management of Major Biodiversity Corridors in the Philippines (BDCorridor); layout and printing were supported by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) [§5].

Sources:

  • §5 — Acknowledgements
  • §22 — Apo Reef Natural Park valuation
  • §34 — Biodiversity Impacts outputs
  • §35 — Means of Implementation outputs
  • §41 — Target 15 ESG
  • §42 — Target 19 finance; Target 18 harmful incentives
  • §50 — PENCAS and Sukat ng Kalikasan

7. GBF Target Coverage

GBF Target 1 — Spatial planning (Addressed)

The PBSAP commits that by 2040 at least 24% of terrestrial and inland water areas, and 16% of marine and coastal areas, accomplish biodiversity-inclusive spatial analysis and planning. The commitment sequences spatial planning ahead of the effective-conservation commitment under Target 3, and adopts a biogeographic approach across land and sea. Indicators track hectares of target conservation sites with completed spatial assessment and planning, sites with approved management plans and spatially-based management strategies, and hectares under effective management.

GBF Target 2 — Ecosystem restoration (Addressed)

The plan commits to restoring or rehabilitating at least 30% of degraded terrestrial, inland water, coastal, and marine ecosystems by 2040, with explicit emphasis on ecological connectivity and integrity rather than area alone. The Ecosystems Conservation output specifies 30% of degraded and denuded areas rehabilitated. Indicators track hectares of degraded and denuded sites under rehabilitation and hectares under continuous threat-reduction programs. Named NbS approaches include mangrove restoration, reforestation, and sustainable watershed management.

GBF Target 3 — Protected areas (30x30) (Addressed)

The Philippines commits to effectively conserving and managing 24% of terrestrial and inland water areas and 16% of coastal and marine areas by 2040 — 7.44 million hectares of land and 35.24 million hectares of sea — against the global 30x30 headline. The baseline comprises 248 protected areas (114 legislated over 4.65 Mha, 13 proclaimed over 1.10 Mha, 121 initial components over 2.26 Mha), plus 322 Key Biodiversity Areas, 11 critical habitats, 1,257,684 ha of coral reefs, 498,341 ha of seagrass, and 311,400 ha of mangrove. Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures (OECMs) and IPLC stewardship are named in the pathway; the EDC 127,608 ha private-sector contribution is cross-referenced (see Section 4). Membership of the Global Ocean Alliance — a 77-country coalition led by the United Kingdom — is noted.

GBF Target 4 — Species recovery (Addressed)

The plan commits by 2040 to improved governance and management regimes for threatened species, native crops, livestock, wild relatives, and their genetic resources, alongside 10 in-situ and ex-situ gene banks, seed banks, and nurseries of native species, and an 80% decrease in poaching incidents in protected areas. Indicators include the Red List Index, number of threatened species improving in status, priority native crops, livestock and wild relatives under effective protection, and species conservation plans per flagship or indicator species. Agro-biodiversity is integrated alongside wild threatened species.

GBF Target 5 — Sustainable harvest (Addressed)

Targets 5 and 9 are merged into a single national commitment tied to RA 9147 (Wildlife Act) and RA 10654 (Philippine Fisheries Code): by 2040 wildlife species legally harvested and bred in captivity are traded within allowable limits under RA 9147; by 2030 Harvest Control Rules and Reference Points for wildlife under RA 9147 and capture fisheries under RA 10654 are in place. This 2030 milestone is the only explicit 2030 date in the PBSAP. Indicators include legal wildlife breeders and traders compliant with regulations, economically important species authorised for collection in target sites, collection permits issued to benefit resource-dependent communities, a permanent enforcement program, and airports and seaports with Wildlife and Fishery enforcement desks.

GBF Target 6 — Invasive alien species (Addressed)

The plan commits to reducing the spread of IAS by 50% in protected areas by 2040, with 2 priority IAS eradicated, controlled, or managed in protected areas. Indicators track hectares where IAS are managed, IAS eradicated or reduced in protected areas, and IAS operational plans developed and implemented. The scope is confined to protected areas rather than all ecosystems.

GBF Target 7 — Pollution reduction (Addressed)

The plan commits by 2040 to reducing nutrient run-off and pesticide-related impacts on non-target organisms and ecosystems by at least 50%, alongside a 50% improvement in soil and water quality in target sites. Indicators span an updated and implemented fertilizer and pesticide policy; stakeholder compliance with fertilizer and pesticide production and trade standards; import volumes of allowed synthetic fertilizers and conventional pesticides starting with highly toxic categories; LGUs with zero single-use plastic ordinances in target sites; soil and water quality testing plots; and private-company recovery and diversion of plastic packaging. Framing is anchored in the MT Princess Empress oil spill and the 163 million sachets / 2.3 million tons plastic figures (see Section 2).

GBF Target 8 — Climate and biodiversity (Addressed)

The plan commits by 2040 to minimising climate impacts in target sites and reducing disaster risks through NbS, EbA, and Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Practices. Indicators track LGUs in target sites adopting NbS and EbA, site governance bodies with management plans containing strict climate change and disaster-risk protocols, and policies issued on NbS and EbA. The country self-identifies as #1 on the 2024 World Risk Index; framing centres on extreme events and disaster risk rather than ocean acidification specifically.

GBF Target 9 — Wild species use (Addressed)

Target 9 is merged with Target 5 under a joint national commitment on sustainable harvest anchored in RA 9147 and RA 10654 (see Target 5). Indicators specifically linked to local-community benefit include economically important species authorised for collection in target sites and collection permits issued to directly benefit resource-dependent local communities for consumption and enterprise purposes. The PBSAP's fifth higher-tier commitment on improving benefit flows from sustainable use reinforces this framing.

GBF Target 10 — Agriculture / forestry (Addressed)

The plan commits by 2040 to sustainably managing agriculture, fisheries, aquaculture, and forestry production in target sites, with improved resilience and long-term productivity. Delivery levers include recognition of 10 NIAHS, BDFAP and climate-smart agriculture in target sites, NAFMIP alignment for regional and provincial development plans, and repurposing 50% of upland agricultural subsidies with unintended environmental footprint (a figure that also anchors Target 18).

GBF Target 11 — Ecosystem services (NbS) (Addressed)

The plan commits by 2040 to maintaining and enhancing the resilience and stability of ecosystems and habitats in target sites, especially in vulnerable areas, high-exposure areas, and communities most dependent on biodiversity, with 20 adequately funded NbS and 6 PES agreements. Indicators cover types and sources of ecosystem goods and services enhanced or maintained per target site, target sites under stable and resilient conditions, and target sites with Disaster Risk Reduction Management Plans. Apo Reef Natural Park's PHP 1 billion total economic value (Milan, 2017; BIOFIN, 2024) is the named valuation exemplar; PENCAS (RA 11995) provides the legal mandate for ecosystem-services valuation via Sukat ng Kalikasan.

GBF Target 12 — Urban biodiversity (Addressed)

The plan commits by 2040 to increasing urban green and blue spaces accessible to the public, with a 5% increase in green space in 5 major cities. Indicators track cities adopting the City Biodiversity Index, cities with increased or sustained green and blue spaces, cities compliant with SGLG indicators on urban green and blue spaces, and policies and guidelines for blue and green spaces under the sustainable infrastructure theme.

GBF Target 13 — Genetic resources / ABS (Addressed)

The plan commits by 2040 to a significant increase in benefits shared with providers and rights holders under applicable ABS instruments, supported by 6 ABS agreements. Indicators track the value of non-monetary benefits received by providers and rights holders — "especially IPLCs, women, and youth" — from genetic resources, associated traditional knowledge, and digital sequence information (DSI); permits issued to access these; and national legislative and administrative measures establishing rights ownership and equitable benefit-sharing. The UNDP/GEF ABS project supported PBSAP development (see Section 6).

GBF Target 14 — Mainstreaming (Addressed)

The plan commits by 2040 to fully mainstreaming and integrating biodiversity into policies, programs, plans, and processes at all levels of government and across all sectors. The PBSAP 2024-2040 executes an explicit chapter-by-chapter cross-walk with the 16 chapters of the Philippine Development Plan — including PDP 5 (agriculture), PDP 12 (infrastructure), PDP 15 (climate action and disaster resilience), and PDP 16 (plan implementation, monitoring, and evaluation) — and with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Indicators track national, regional, and local policies and plans integrating biodiversity conservation, and biodiversity-dependent sectors adopting biodiversity standards in planning and fiduciary processes.

GBF Target 15 — Business disclosure (Addressed)

The plan commits by 2040 to adoption by business and financial entities of an ESG framework with biodiversity elements, with regular reporting or disclosure of biodiversity risks, dependencies, and impacts. Indicators track publicly listed companies and government financial and non-financial institutions compliant with the ESG framework, policies on nature-related and agri-based risk disclosures developed and adopted, and development projects compliant with risk disclosure guidelines, biodiversity standards, and safeguards. EDC is named as a private-sector exemplar (see Section 4); PENCAS supplies the data foundation (see Section 6).

GBF Target 16 — Sustainable consumption (Addressed)

The plan commits by 2040 to developing, adopting, and implementing policy instruments supporting the shift to sustainable consumption and production, with a sustainable production and consumption policy and Implementing Rules and Regulations under implementation. Indicators track LGUs, companies, offices, schools, and other sectors practising circular economy; target sites reporting positive gains in reducing wastes and overconsumption; and percentage of food, manufacturing, and processing wastes reduced. The KMGBF global headline of halving food waste is not named in the Philippine framing.

GBF Target 17 — Biosafety (Addressed)

The plan commits by 2040 to having biosafety measures and regulations in place and implemented, with a national protocol on biotechnology administration and handling operational. Indicators track comprehensive biosafety laws and regulations enacted, issued, and effectively enforced, and biosafety risk assessment tools and systems developed and implemented.

GBF Target 18 — Harmful subsidies (Addressed)

The plan commits by 2040 to reducing, repurposing, redirecting, or eliminating programs with unintended ecological footprints, with a quantified sub-target of 50% of upland agricultural subsidies with unintended environmental footprint repurposed towards biodiversity-friendly agricultural practices. Indicators track subsidies and incentives reduced, repurposed, redirected, or eliminated, and sector-specific positive incentives introduced to reform programs. The KMGBF global $500 billion benchmark is not referenced.

GBF Target 19 — Finance mobilisation (Addressed)

The plan commits by 2040 to increased financing for biodiversity-related PAPs to support the annual PBSAP requirement, with the Means-of-Implementation output narrowing the PBSAP financing gap by 20%. Indicators track the percentage of the total national budget allocated to biodiversity conservation, investment reflected in national accounts and local Annual Investment Plans, the percentage of private, ODA, and other funding sources, innovative funding and fiduciary measures, and PES agreements per target site. The plan positions the national commitment against the $200 billion / $30 billion KMGBF benchmarks without stating a Philippine-specific counterpart figure (see Section 6).

GBF Target 20 — Capacity and technology (Addressed)

The plan commits by 2040 to mechanisms for continuing capacity-building and technology transfer being in place. Indicators track capacity-building and technology transfer programs implemented and maintained across target sectors in target sites, and institutions and groups implementing biodiversity-related programs and projects in target sites. Framing emphasises durable mechanisms rather than one-off training counts; South–South and triangular cooperation are not specifically named.

GBF Target 21 — Data and information (Addressed)

The plan commits by 2040 to improved interoperability of biodiversity information systems, supported, secured, and publicly accessible. Indicators track functional knowledge and information platforms — the Clearing House Mechanism, the Living Planet Index, and Indigenous Peoples community-based information systems — users accessing the platforms, and security measures on knowledge and information systems. Information security is treated as a distinct indicator.

GBF Target 22 — Inclusive participation (Addressed)

The plan commits by 2040 to equitable, inclusive, effective, and gender-responsive representation and participation in decision-making and access to justice related to biodiversity, for all genders, youth, Indigenous Peoples, differently-abled persons, local communities, and other stakeholders. Indicators track percentage participation across these groups in biodiversity programs in target sites. Implementation levers include the parallel IPBSAP (see flex section 4a) and a forthcoming Executive Order establishing multistakeholder coordination under DENR and the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development. More than a thousand participants engaged in PBSAP consultations from February 2023 onward.

GBF Target 23 — Gender equality (Addressed)

The plan commits by 2040 to equitable representation and meaningful participation in decision-making, and access to justice and information, by gender, youth, Indigenous Peoples, differently-abled persons, local communities, and other stakeholders. The indicator anchor is percentage representation of IPs and other stakeholders in governing bodies — specifically PAMB, watershed management councils, and forest land management bodies. Gender Equity, Diversity and Social Inclusion is a cross-cutting outcome of the framework. Non-monetary benefits under Target 13 are disaggregated to include women alongside IPLCs and youth. The PBSAP does not state gender-disaggregated numeric thresholds.

KMGBF Targets Referenced