LAGUNA, Philippines (PIA) — The ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) welcomed its new executive director on May 19 with the formal appointment of peatland expert and development professional Jerome Montemayor.
The oath-taking ceremony, held at the ACB headquarters in Los Baños, Laguna, was attended by members of the ASEAN Diplomatic Corps, officials from the Philippine Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), and other key stakeholders.
As he assumes the ACB post, Montemayor is equipped an extensive experience of more than three decades in social development work in the fields of public education improvement, sustainable development, conservation management, and climate action initiatives throughout the Philippines and Asia.
Before joining the ACB, he served as the Executive Director of the Foundation for the Philippine Environment (FPE), the first grant-making organization for civil society environmental initiatives in the country.
Now leading the intergovernmental body that addresses biodiversity issues in the ASEAN region, Montemayor has pledged to deepen collaboration among the ACB’s 10 member states, provide technical assistance to attain the ASEAN Biodiversity Plan and several global environmental pacts and national climate goals, and scale up the centre’s resource mobilization efforts for biodiversity and climate action.
“ACB already has numerous partnerships and collaborations. We will work to strengthen these, both within and beyond ASEAN. We must showcase the talent of our people and the rich natural wonders of our region,” Montemayor said.
In his first interview with the media as executive director, Montemayor outlined his priority programs, which include building the capacity of corporations, non-government organizations, and youth groups as potential partners in biodiversity conservation. He also emphasized the importance of effective communication to ensure inclusive participation across all sectors.
“One opportunity for ACB to mainstream biodiversity is by engaging with the top 1,000 corporations in the ASEAN. We’ll ask them if they have biodiversity programs. If not, we will help them develop these initiatives,” he said.
He added, “ACB can also support environmental NGOs—or those willing to step into conservation and climate action.”
As a development professional that worked directly with communities, Montemayor believes that simplifying scientific terms and putting them into relatable contexts can make the discussion on biodiversity and conservation easily understandable and can urge more public engagement in their environmental efforts.
“We need to ensure sufficient diversity in the environment to keep it resilient and stable. Our progress is inherently tied to the health of our ecosystems. If we neglect the importance of biodiversity, it could lead to our downfall. The Earth will survive—but perhaps without us,” he warned.
This year, the ACB celebrates its 20th founding anniversary. It currently oversees 57 ASEAN Heritage Parks, monitors 2,648 protected areas, and implements programs aimed at preserving biodiversity, which is essential for food security, environmental well-being, and sustainable development across ASEAN member states. (CH/PIA-Laguna)
