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Struggle over marshlands, wildlife preservation, and adolescent environmental activism in the Philippines highlighted by Matthew Vincent Tabilog

Mangrove conservation and advocacy for youth-driven climate change solutions, spearheaded by marine biologist Matthew Tabilog, gains traction not just along the shores of Negros but also at major international policy discussions across the Philippines.

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2 min read
Battle for wetlands, wildlife, and youth-led preservation efforts in the Philippines: Matthew...
Battle for wetlands, wildlife, and youth-led preservation efforts in the Philippines: Matthew Vincent Tabilog leads the charge

Struggle over marshlands, wildlife preservation, and adolescent environmental activism in the Philippines highlighted by Matthew Vincent Tabilog

The Philippines, home to half of the world’s mangrove species, is grappling with the challenges of mangrove conservation. Despite significant losses over the last century, conservation efforts have made progress, albeit with persistent challenges.

Mangrove coverage in the Philippines has been reduced to approximately 250,000 hectares, a testament to the success of restoration and conservation projects. However, fragmentation, habitat degradation, and infrastructure developments continue to pose threats. For instance, the controversial flood mitigation project in Cebu City endangers the few remaining mangrove hectares there.

Community-based, participatory mangrove forest management is a crucial conservation approach, balancing forest preservation with the welfare of dependent local communities. Youth-led initiatives like Mangrove Matters PH are playing a vital role in this regard.

Founded by 25-year-old Matthew Vincent Tabilog, Mangrove Matters PH is a youth-driven initiative that mainstreams mangrove conservation through science communication, advocacy, policy lobbying, education, and restoration projects. Tabilog, who grew up in coastal Talisay City, Negros Occidental province, has publicly condemned harmful infrastructure developments and amplified calls for stronger protection of mangroves.

Tabilog is currently pursuing graduate studies at Hokkaido University, focusing on seagrass ecosystems. His long-term plan is to return to the Philippines and contribute to the protection of mangroves and seagrasses through teaching, research, or conservation.

Mangrove Matters PH has been involved in various youth-led activism campaigns, such as Save Manila Bay and opposing a liquefied natural gas plant in San Carlos City. They were pivotal in lobbying for key legislation on marine protected parks in the Philippine Senate last year and worked with Oceana Philippines on the Panaon Island Protected Seascape Bill, which declared key marine sanctuaries around the archipelago as protected areas.

Currently, Mangrove Matters PH is campaigning to protect the Las Piñas-Paranáque Wetland Park, a Ramsar site in Metro Manila, from reclamation. In Silay City, women earn around six pesos (US$0.11) per seedling, which helps sustain nursery operations and their households. Mangrove Matters PH donates shovels and other equipment to women community members in Tambobo Bay, Negros Oriental.

Tabilog is also advocating for the National Coastal Greenbelt Bill, which aims to develop and implement a coherent, comprehensive, and integrated National Coastal Greenbelt Management Action Plan. He will represent youth-led conservation efforts on the global stage at the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands (COP15) in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.

Tabilog's efforts are a beacon of hope for mangrove conservation in the Philippines. His work, along with that of Mangrove Matters PH, underscores the importance of youth-led initiatives in promoting conservation, advocacy, and education to protect mangroves and coastal resilience in the country.

[1] Philippine Mangroves: Status, Threats, and Opportunities. (2019). Department of Environment and Natural Resources. [2] Mangroves and Climate Change Adaptation in the Philippines. (2018). United Nations Development Programme. [3] Mangrove Matters PH. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://mangrovemattersph.org/ [4] Conservation and Sustainable Development of Mangrove Forests in the Philippines. (2020). World Wildlife Fund. [5] Bitaug Marine Protected Area. (2020). Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

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