Sprawled on 8,334 hectares of land in Occidental Mindoro, the Sablayan Prison and Penal Farm (SPPF) is located at the foot of Mt. Due to the area’s importance to biodiversity, SPPF became one of Haribon’s project partners for the Integrating Forest Conservation with Local Governance in the Philippines Project (IFCLGP) in 2001. Siburan forest, the SPPF team’s advocacy turned to forest conservation and protection. It institutionalized the Sablayan Forest Management Board (SFMB) as a multi-stakeholder as a local special body within the LGU to assist in formulation of policies and management of biodiversity in the forest ecosystem. They recognized their own power and significant role in protecting their forest and the unique biodiversity that flourishes in it.

Source: Manila Times September 28, 2016 16:41 UTC