Masungi advocates make TIME Next Gen Leaders list

MANILA, Philippines — Masungi Georeserve Foundation conservationists and co-founders Ann and Billie Dumaliang were named in TIME Magazine’s 2024 Next Generation Leaders list.

Following this, the group also asked President Marcos and Environment Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga to reconsider the decision to cancel the 2017 memorandum of agreement between the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the advocacy organization.

“I urge DENR Secretary Toni Yulo-Loyzaga and our President to be open to productive and meaningful dialogue for the continuation of the Masungi conservation and reforestation projects. The world is watching and it is part of our international commitments to climate, biodiversity and land restoration action to keep this project going,” Billie said yesterday in a message to The STAR.

The group said the Dumaliang sisters’ inclusion in the distinguished TIME list highlights the global significance of their leadership and commitment to protecting the Masungi limestone landscape as well as one of the Philippines’ most critical watersheds – the Upper Marikina Watershed.
“I hope our local leaders will appreciate the work we do for the Philippines and its environment as much as the international community does. I hope that they begin to see us as allies, and not threats, in the performance of their mandate and the country’s sustainable development,” Billie said.

Loyzaga has said the Masungi Geopark Project was void from the start.

“This prestigious recognition celebrates ten trailblazers from around the globe who are leading with empathy, challenging the status quo and forging solutions for a brighter future,” the group said.

According to the Masungi Georeserve Foundation, the Dumaliang sisters have worked alongside local community partners, government officials and agencies and international allies to protect Masungi Georeserve – a biodiversity hotspot threatened by land encroachment, illegal activities and deforestation.

“Their work has not only restored large portions of the degraded watershed but has also inspired a new generation of environmental advocates,” the advocacy group added.