NTFP - EP Philippines

06/05/2026

What do NTFPs mean in the Philippines?

NTFPs, or non-timber forest products, are often described as forest resources that are not timber, but for many Indigenous Peoples and local communities in the Philippines, they are much more than that.

They are food gathered with seasonal knowledge; fibers woven into baskets, cloth, and everyday tools; resins harvested from living trees with care; honey gathered through forest knowledge and respect for bees; plants used for food, color, shelter, household care, and community enterprise.

NTFPs are deeply interlinked to livelihood, culture, forest governance, biodiversity, and the protection of ancestral lands. They also remind us that forests do not need to be cut down to be valuable.

A standing forest can sustain food, income, identity, memory, and life when communities have the rights, support, and recognition to care for it.

This is why works with and local communities to strengthen NTFP-based livelihoods, protect forests, and keep culture alive for future generations; because in the Philippines, forest stories are also community stories.

23/04/2026

This Earth Month, we honor the annual Panlaoy of the communities of MAHITRIGA in Malitbog, Bukidnon, and PAMALIHI in Balingasag, Misamis Oriental. 🌏🌿

Panlaoy is a cultural activity where community members go to the forest to practice their traditions. Elders and youth walk kilometers across their forest, monitor its health, identify species, plan ways to keep it intact, and perform rituals to honor their ancestors, seek guidance, and give thanks. Along the way, knowledge is passed on through ways of praying, listening, and recognizing what the forest is saying.

This reminds us of something important: forest conservation is not only about protecting trees. It is also about protecting the living systems, values, and relationships that have cared for those forests for generations. NTFP - EP Philippines' own framing recognizes that Indigenous forest monitoring, community-led conservation, and safeguarding culture all belong together.

During the activity, the communities also conducted a Rapid Biodiversity Assessment, with community members themselves identifying species and assessing forest health. It is a strong example of how traditional knowledge and scientific approaches can work hand in hand.

In a time when the Earth is often treated as a resource to be extracted, Panlaoy offers another way: to relate with the forest as kin, teacher, memory, and life-source.

A healthy planet needs more than protection on paper; it also needs peoples, practices, and cultures that keep care alive. 💚

This activity was supported by Forest Foundation Philippines as part of efforts to protect the Kimangkil-Kalanawan-Saumagaya-Pamalihi landscape and its remaining forest.

22/04/2026

International Mother Earth Day 🌍 (Philippine Earth Day)
ICCAs 🧑🏽‍🤝‍🧑🏾 vs Protected Areas 🏛️

Both aim to protect nature, but they are not the same.

Same goal, different governance. Governance shapes whose rules apply, whose rights are respected, and whether conservation becomes lasting or harmful.

When a Protected Area overlaps with an ICCA / ancestral territory, the risk is having two decision-making systems on one land, often leading to restrictions, conflict, and the weakening of customary governance.

At NTFP-EP Philippines, we believe conservation must be rights-based: Indigenous and community governance should be recognized, consent (FPIC) must be respected, and solutions must be community-led.

📌 Start here (ICCA 101): https://www.ntfpepphilippines.org/icca
💬 What’s one ICCA/PA misconception you want to help correct?

01/04/2026

Women’s Month ends. Women’s work does not.

Hindi lang babae. Ina. Kaibigan. Lider. Katutubo. Tagapagtaguyod ng komunidad. Tagapagtanggol ng kalikasan.

As Women’s Month comes to a close and Earth Month begins, we carry this truth with us: our recognition of women must not end with the calendar. This longer compilation brings together the voices of six women interviewed during the National Women’s Assembly 2025. Their stories show that women’s leadership is already present in everyday life in care work, in livelihood, in community, in culture, and in defending land and forests.

But they also remind us of something deeper: women need more than celebration. They need representation, accreditation, and meaningful participation in decision-making spaces.

Because to honor the Earth is also to honor the women who help protect it. And to remember women only in March is not enough.

Kababaihan, May SAY Ka: Voices of Women Defenders

30/03/2026

Women need seats at the table. In this reel, Norima Mablon speaks about accreditation, representation, and women’s place in Local Special Bodies and other governance spaces.

Her voice reminds us that women are not only “ina ng tahanan.” They are also leaders, defenders of nature, and community members with clear conviction and purpose.

Kababaihan, May SAY Ka: Voices of Women Defenders

27/03/2026

Equality. Empowerment. Voice.

In this reel, Rhea Gonzales speaks about the importance of women’s participation across politics, education, livelihood, and human rights. She reminds us that Indigenous women must not only be recognized, they must have real voice in decisions that shape their communities and futures.

Kababaihan, May SAY Ka: Voices of Women Defenders

26/03/2026

Women’s participation matters: for family, community, and the environment. In this reel, Grace Agco reflects on women’s role in building stronger communities and encouraging fellow women, especially on issues affecting the environment.

Her voice reminds us that women’s leadership is not only about representation. It is also about care, courage, and acting for the wellbeing of people and planet.

Kababaihan, May SAY Ka: Voices of Women Defenders

25/03/2026

Ako ay isang babae. May SAY ako.

In this reel, Lita Naabot speaks about courage, women’s right to decide, and the importance of recognition for women’s organizations. Her voice carries a truth many women know deeply: women help sustain family and community life every day and deserve to be recognized as decision-makers, too.

Kababaihan, May SAY Ka: Voices of Women Defenders

24/03/2026

🌿 JOIN | VOICES FROM ASIA: Elevating Champions for Wild Foods and Traditional Crops

Discover the vital role of wild foods and traditional crops in sustaining communities and biodiversity across Asia. This online webinar features insights from dedicated experts and community champions from across the region.

📅 Date: 30 March 2026 (Monday)
🕒 Time: 16:30 - 19:00 Philippine Standard Time
🔗 Register here: bit.ly/wildfoods-webinar or by scanning the QR code

🌿 Join us for VOICES FROM ASIA: Elevating Champions for Wild Foods and Traditional Crops

Discover the vital role of wild foods and traditional crops in sustaining communities and biodiversity across Asia. This online webinar features insights from dedicated experts and community champions from across the region.

📅 Date: 30 March 2026 (Monday)
🕒 Time: 16:30 - 19:00 Philippine Standard Time
🔗 Register here: bit.ly/wildfoods-webinar or by scanning the QR code

This webinar connects with the Indigenous Led Education ( ) Network & Swedish International Agriculture Network Initiative ( ) for a harmonious discussion on food security, sovereignty, and community resilience!

🌱 Don't miss this opportunity to learn, collaborate, and champion the future of traditional food systems.

NTFP - EP Philippines
NTFP EP Vietnam - Lâm sản ngoài gỗ Việt Nam

24/03/2026

Women need more than visibility. We need voice.

In this reel, Nelsie Somodio speaks about the importance of women knowing their rights and being recognized in governance spaces.

From registration and accreditation to representation in local decision-making, her message is clear: women’s participation must be supported, strengthened, and made real.

Because women’s leadership is essential to stronger communities and to more just futures.

Kababaihan, May SAY Ka: Voices of Women Defenders

23/03/2026

May SAY ang kababaihan. In this reel, Conchita Calzado speaks as a traditional leader, a mother, and a grandmother; she reminds us that women’s representation in governance is deeply connected to the needs of families, communities, and forests.

From barangay to province, women must not only be present. They must be part of decision-making.
Because when women lead, communities are better able to protect both people and kalikasan.

Kababaihan, May SAY Ka: Voices of Women Defenders