Since 2014, the United Nations Development Program through its Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN) Project, has been supporting the Philippine Government in articulating the financial resources it needs to maintain a healthy biodiversity portfolio in-country. In particular, BIOFIN in collaboration with Department of Natural Resources Biodiversity Management Bureau has conducted the following assessments: 1) Policy and Institutional Review (PIR); 2) Public and Private Biodiversity Expenditure Review (PPBER); 3) Assessment of financial needs (cost and gap analysis of implementing Philippine Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (PBSAP)). These assessments significantly contributed to the development of a Biodiversity Finance Plan.
Based on insights gained from the results of the three BIOFIN assessments, this Plan acknowledges the importance of tapping additional financing to support the biodiversity agenda of the Philippines, mainly through the Philippine Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (PBSAP 2028-2040). This Plan transcends the focus on generating additional resources and also identifies a range of “finance solutions” that leverage finance, fiscal and economic tools and strategies to improve the outcome of biodiversity objectives in the country. Financing solutions include a range of transformative actions: generating more financing to fund the PBSAP or associated planning documents; appropriate attribution of biodiversity expenditures in the budget; attaining cost effective budget execution by eradicating overlaps in biodiversity functions; eradicating expenditures that continue to or aggravate dissipation of biodiversity resources; and paving the groundwork for a responsive policy environment through greater awareness on biodiversity and biodiversity financing and enhancing institutional support towards monitoring of PBSAP.
Resource mobilization strategies targeting the private sector and the citizenry are also highlighted given that these sectors can muster significant amounts of resources for biodiversity conservation. Initiatives on corporate social responsibility (CR), crowdfunding and financial technology have been started and need to be continued. Since 2019, BIOFIN has been working with Cash in identifying partners that will undertake forest restoration activities in selected sites through its Forest app. In 2021, BIOFIN engaged with UBX, the fintech arm of UnionBank in exploring a partnership that will help promote biodiversity-friendly enterprises (BDFE) and protected areas (PA) through an online platform. However, the platform has recently been decommissioned. Initiatives beyond CSR will also be explored and opportunities identified.
A mobile game application called “Animal Town” has been developed and launched. Game to novege to have s or the game Proses i tre same ovies a peter anuted will directly go to selected protected areas and species conservation programs.
BIOFIN also explored non-fungible tokens as a finance solution through the fractionalization of art via a campaign called “Art for Nature.” Nature photographs and videos taken in Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park were auctioned in 2 events in 2024.
BIOFIN and BMB recently met with the Department of Tourism (DOT) to identify partnerships to promote and raise funds for protected areas. DOT proposed partnerships with hospitality-related establishments (hotels, airlines, booking platforms) to drive ecotourism and operationalize the National Ecotourism Strategy Action Plan.
Scope of Work
The objectives of the assignment are:
a. To strengthen and expand partnerships with private sector entities
b. To operationalize ongoing initiatives and develop new opportunities for innovative biodiversity finance
c. To coordinate activities that directly lead to resource mobilization for conservation.
The Consultant under the supervision of the BIOFIN Project Manager and the Senior Regional Technical Advisor will:
Education
Experience
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