Republic of the Philippines to host the 12th Meeting of Partners in November 2025
The Secretariat of the East Asian–Australasian Flyway Partnership (EAAFP) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) of the Philippines have formally announced that the Republic of the Philippines will host the 12th Meeting of Partners (MOP12). This event is scheduled to take place in the Philippines in November 2025, marking the first time a Meeting of Partners (MOP) will be held in the country.
The EAAFP organises a biennial meeting to discuss progress towards strategic objectives and make decisions on the future direction of the Partnership. The MOP serves as a comprehensive assembly dedicated to the ongoing goals and initiatives of the Partnership, bringing together all 40 EAAFP Partners, including 18 national governments, 6 intergovernmental organizations, 14 international non-governmental organizations, and 1 international private enterprise. The purpose is to review progress and make decisions regarding the conservation of migratory waterbirds along the East Asian–Australasian Flyway. But more importantly, this meeting serves as a platform for Partners, flyway site managers, Working Groups, and Task Forces to exchange experiences, collaborate, and strategise future actions.
The Republic of the Philippines, the host of MOP12, has been a Partner since 2006 and is one of the few countries that attended the launching of the Partnership and the first MOP held in Bogor, Indonesia. Known for its diverse coastal and marine biodiversity, the Philippines boasts four Flyway Network Sites (FNS), with the most recent designation received in January 2017.
© Protected Area Management and Biodiversity Conservation Operation Center of Olango Island Wildlife Sanctuary
© Protected Area Management and Biodiversity Conservation Operation Center of Olango Island Wildlife Sanctuary
Under the leadership of the DENR, the Philippines has been actively improving its conservation measures for migratory waterbirds and wetlands. The country has conducted waterbird surveys and wetland assessments in both potential and existing Flyway Network Sites (FNS) as part of the project supporting the ASEAN Flyway Network. Additionally, the Philippines is currently in the process of developing a 10-year national seabird research and conservation plan. As a Party to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals, Convention on Biological Diversity, Convention on Wetlands, and other Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs), and as a member of various regional frameworks and cooperation initiatives dedicated to nature conservation, the Philippines remains steadfast in protecting and conserving its critical habitats and protected areas. The DENR is presently updating the Philippine Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (PBSAP), further enhancing national and site-level conservation actions for both potential and existing flyway network sites.
On behalf of the Partnership, the EAAFP Management Committee expresses its gratitude to the Philippine government for their generous support of this important flyway-wide gathering. This support will continue to foster collaborative efforts for the conservation of migratory waterbirds, their habitats, and the livelihoods of people dependent upon them.
The webpage for the 12th Meeting of Partners will soon be available, and announcements about the meeting will be circulated in due course.
