The Seeds and Shells of Change: How the Women of Negros Occidental are Redefining Conservation

 

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In the mist-shrouded highlands of Sitio Tambara, the air is cool and the landscape is so lush it evokes scenes from a fantasy epic. Here, a quiet revolution is brewing—literally. The Tambara Forest Settlers Association, a women-led organization, is celebrating two decades of transforming muddy mountain trails into thriving coffee plantations. This group of 14 women and eight men has turned sustainable upland agriculture into a powerful tool for environmental conservation and financial independence.

From Retail to Robusta

Ronalyn Dela Vega once spent her days as a department store salesperson, but today she is the chair of the association, convincing customers to invest in high-quality coffee and cacao instead of clothes. The transformation is more than just personal; it is a community-wide shift toward ecological stewardship.

Premium Harvests: The association produces Fine Robusta Coffee, meticulously selecting only ripe, red cherries that sink in water—a sign of quality.

Aromatic Results: The final product, roasted and ground in the village, carries a distinct earthy, muscovado aroma and retails for approximately PHP750 per kilogram.

Beyond Coffee: Their efforts extend to other high-value crops like cacao, cinnamon, and various fruit-bearing trees, including marang and mangoes.

Ecological Anchors: These trees do more than provide income; they stabilize the soil to prevent landslides and floods while creating vital habitats for local bird species.

The Untapped Power of GAD

This mountain-top success story is part of a larger movement to mainstream Gender and Development (GAD) into environmental programs. Under Philippine law, every government agency is mandated to dedicate 5% of its annual budget to GAD initiatives. In Negros Occidental alone, this budget reaches roughly PHP340 million as of 2026.

UNDP-BIOFIN is working closely with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to ensure these funds support projects where women take the lead in managing ecosystems. As UNDP-BIOFIN Philippines Project Manager Anabelle Plantilla notes, GAD is a vital "entry point" to ensure conservation projects are climate-resilient and gender-equal.

Harvesters of the Sea

The spirit of female leadership extends from the misty peaks down to the brackish rivers of San Enrique. In this coastal haven, the Luguay Talaba Growers Association—led by Juvy Guiñabo Jamaybay—continues a century-old tradition of oyster farming that began in Negros Occidental in 1921.

Generational Success: For Jamaybay, the industry is more than a livelihood; it is the reason all her children are now college graduates.

Economic Impact: With national production exceeding 50,000 metric tonnes annually, the oyster industry is valued at over PHP1 billion.

Silent Cleaners: Oysters are extraordinary "filter-feeders," with a single adult capable of filtering five liters of water every hour, removing nitrogen and absorbing carbon dioxide in the process.

Resilient Reefs: Unlike the more delicate coral reefs, oyster beds are fast-growing and remarkably resilient to the impacts of climate change.

A Shared Future

The success of these communities highlights a critical truth: conservation works best when both men and women share the responsibility and the rewards. These areas have also become destinations for ecotourism, with association members serving as bird guides for visitors coming to see migratory species like the critically endangered Great Knot.

As the sun sets over the wetlands, the lesson of Negros Occidental is clear: by tapping into gender-sensitive budgets and empowering local women, the Philippines is cultivating a future that is as sustainable as it is prosperous. 

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