The Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMB) formerly Parks and Wildlife Bureau (PAWB), being a staff bureau which is mandated to establish and manage Protected Areas, conserve wildlife, and promote and institutionalize Ecotourism. It is also responsible for the the management of Coastal Biodiversity and Wetlands Ecosystems, conservation of caves and cave resources, providing information and education about Biodiversity and Nature Conservation, negotiation on biodiversity-related Multilateral Environmental Agreements and management of Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Nature Center.

Gender and Development at BMB

DENR Administrative Order No. 98 – 15 dated May 27, 1998 or the Revised Guidelines on the Implementation of Gender and Development (GAD) Activities in the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) was issued in order to strengthen the DENR GAD Focal Point System and accomplishing the GAD vision “Partnership of Empowered Men and Women for Sustainable Development” in DENR.

Through the continuous assistance and support of the DENR-National GAD Secretariat (DENR-NGFPS) and partnership with the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW), all programs and projects of BMB-GADFPS for the past years were successfully undertaken. The BMB-GADFPS was strengthen and fully operationalized by virtue of PAWB Special Order No. 2009-26 dated February 05, 2009 which reconstitute the PAWB Gender and Development Committee which was later ameliorated to BMB Special Order No. 2020-140. Through this issuance, the BMB made true to its mandate of providing natural resiliency and sustained benefits for all and to conserve and sustainably manage the country’s biodiversity.

The BMB is continuing its efforts in reconstituting and strengthening its Gender and Development Focal Point System (GFPS) in its pursuit of gender equality and their right to enjoy equal benefits from its programs and policies. It is also continuously implementing empowering efforts to make its governance gender responsive through promoting gender responsive management and transformative leadership as well as conduction of various gender-related programs, activities and trainings

BMB GAD Logo

The BMB-GAD has embraced its butterfly logo symbolizing transformation -from a caterpillar wrapped in a cocoon while preparing for its emergence as an entirely new beautiful being, able to fly free, a living jewel watching over creation from the sky.

The BMB-GAD butterfly win are two letter B’s standing face to face and bound securely by the letter M, which is the unifying force that is Management, enabling the two wings to gracefully flap, soaring to new heights. The symmetrical wings exemplify the gender balance that BMB GAD aims for in all its interventions, a symbol for gender fairness, providing equal opportunity to women and men.

Gazing at the butterfly, one cannot help reflecting on the metamorphosis of the lowly caterpillar that successfully shed everything that was once known and comfortable, to bravely become an entirely new being, with the strength of character to let go of what it once was, and courageously embrace what it can be.

This is the path of transformation charted by BMB GAD, freeing itself from the established mold, seeking new approaches, new partnerships, new achievements and creating new avenues for meaningful participation of women and men in biodiversity management.