Payment for ecosystem services connects urban community with indigenous people

Location: Northern Mindanao, Philippines

Timeline: 2013-present

Principal organisations: XSF

In 2011, Typhoon Washi devastated the city of Cagayan de Oro and prompted institutions to employ sustainable mechanisms for disaster risk reduction and management. One of the projects introduced was the Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES), an alternative sustainable financial mechanism, in Mt. Kalatungan, Bukidnon, where Xavier Science Foundation, Inc. served as the fund manager. The scheme engages indigenous and urban communities in the stewardship of natural resources. It sets up a reward system to conserve the environment while respecting and integrating indigenous knowledge systems and cultures.