DENR USec Bats for Biodiversity During the LNU IMRC 2023

DENR USEC Atty. Analiza Rebuelta-Teh delivered a plenary talk during the LNU IMRC 2023. In her message, she underscored the importance of preserving biodiversity and ecosystem services for survival and economic development:

“Biodiversity, as we know, provides ecosystem services. . . And if there is a decline in biodiversity and ecosystem services, economies – particularly [in] low-income countries – will suffer because biodiversity and ecosystem services provide for food security, water, and other things that we need to survive. Therefore, when you talk of biodiversity, it becomes a development issue.”

Along with this vein, she added, “We [the DENR] see the need to value our biodiversity resources so that we can really factor in their role in our economic development and in our decision-making. We will be able to properly see the trade-offs and see how we can properly enforce environmental governance, taking note of the value of biodiversity.”

“And the DENR remains resolute in its mission to collaborate closely with all stakeholders, including academic institutions and other community of researchers. And we would like to forge robust partnership with you so that we can really achieve our sustainable development goals for the future generations to come.”

Her message ended with a call for synergy between DENR and its stakeholders in preserving the country’s natural resources for sustainability.