Welcome Remarks: Launch of the Official Logo of CMS COP12

February 28, 2017

Welcome Remarks of Senator Loren Legarda
Launch of the Official Logo of CMS COP12
28 February 2017 | Senate of the Philippines

Today, we launch the official logo of the Twelfth Session of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS COP12) which will be hosted by the Philippines, the first time it will be held in Asia, from October 23 to 28 2017.

Being a State Party to the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS), also known as the Bonn Convention, since its ratification on 1 February 1994, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) through the Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMB) has taken the lead in ensuring the conservation and sustainable use of migratory animals and their habitats. As part of its commitments under this Treaty, the BMB has actively pursued programs such as the Annual Asian Waterbird Count, the Marine Turtle Conservation Program, the Dugong Conservation Program, the Management of internationally important sites for migratory birds like the Tubbataha Reef Natural Parks, the Olango Island Wildlife Sanctuary, Naujan Lake, Agusan Marsh, Hundred Islands Natural Park, and the Management of Critical Habitats for migratory birds such as Malasi Lake, Cabusao Wetlands and the Las Piñas-Parañaque Critical Habitat and Ecotourism Area.

We are thankful to Bert Lenten, the Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations Environment Programme CMS Secretariat for gracing this important occasion and for assisting in the preparations for the upcoming Conference.

We also commend the leadership of Secretary Gina Lopez of the DENR and Director Mundita Lim of the BMB for their tireless efforts in ensuring the effective implementation of our commitments under the Convention.

As the only ASEAN country that is Party to the Bonn Convention, it is critical that we continue to take the lead and encourage other members of the region to accede to the Convention, considering that the protection of migratory species and their habitats requires cooperation beyond borders.

Thank you.