ENERGY Development Corporation (EDC) highlighted its commitment to environmental stewardship as the sole private sector representative during the PUNLA Multistakeholder Forum, where the Nature-based Solutions (NbS) Support Network was officially launched. 
The event brought together key stakeholders including the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Forest Foundation Philippines, the government of Canada, civil society groups, development organizations, the academe and local communities to foster stronger collaboration in advancing NbS in the country.
Maria Nancy Ibuna, corporate relations and communications head, represented EDC as a panelist in the session on NbS governance, partnerships and financing. In her talk, she showcased how EDC integrates biodiversity conservation into its renewable energy business, highlighting the company’s approach to balancing clean energy generation with the protection of critical ecosystems.
Her presentation highlighted the rich biodiversity within and around EDC project sites, covering key biodiversity and reservation areas, forestlands and IUCN Red List species.
She spotlighted flagship species that represent the ecological importance of these landscapes, including the golden-crowned flying fox, mapilig, Philippine warty pig, katmon bayani, Visayan hornbill, red lauan, Apo myna and almaciga.
At the core of EDC’s biodiversity efforts is BINHI, its banner environmental program built on four pillars: forest protection, forest restoration, mainstreaming Philippine native trees, and biodiversity conservation and monitoring.
Guided by strategic, science-based, end-to-end and collaborative principles, BINHI aligns with the Philippine Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, international reporting frameworks and International Finance Corporation standards.
A key highlight of the discussion was the company’s success in its Mt. Apo Geothermal Project. Ibuna revealed that the site, which had only 28 recorded fauna species in 2006, now hosts 304 species, with nearly 50% of them endemic to Mindanao and the Philippines.
Through its NbS approach, EDC continues to strengthen its position as a global renewable energy leader that not only generates clean power but also safeguards the Philippines’ natural heritage—ensuring a regenerative future for generations to come.
(Story By: Monique Lugartos)
