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| Society for the Conservation of Philippine Amphibians | |
|---|---|
| Name | Society for the Conservation of Philippine Amphibians |
| Formation | 2009 |
| Type | Nonprofit conservation organization |
| Headquarters | Quezon City, Philippines |
| Region served | Philippines |
| Leader title | President |
| Leader name | Dr. Josefa R. Santos |
Society for the Conservation of Philippine Amphibians is a Philippine non‑profit organization focused on the study, protection, and recovery of amphibian species across the Philippine archipelago. The Society operates at the intersection of field research, species recovery planning, habitat protection, and community engagement, engaging with national agencies, international conservation groups, and academic institutions to address declines among frogs, toads, and caecilians. Its work is informed by regional biodiversity assessments and national environmental policy dialogues.
The Society was established in 2009 following collaborative meetings between researchers from the University of the Philippines, staff of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and conservation biologists associated with the World Wide Fund for Nature and the Field Museum of Natural History. Early initiatives were catalyzed by rediscovery reports and extinction risk assessments that paralleled projects at the IUCN Amphibian Specialist Group and conservation campaigns by the Global Amphibian Assessment. In its formative years the Society coordinated with herpetologists linked to the Natural History Museum, London, participants from the Conservation International Philippines program, and field teams from the Haribon Foundation to conduct rapid inventories on islands such as Luzon, Mindanao, and Palawan. Milestones included the publication of the first national Red List assessments in partnership with the Biodiversity Management Bureau and the launch of captive assurance breeding efforts modelled after programs at the San Diego Zoo and the Singapore Zoo.
The Society’s mission aligns with statutory conservation frameworks and international agreements such as the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Ramsar Convention by aiming to halt amphibian declines and secure viable populations across the archipelago. Objectives include (1) conserving threatened amphibian species identified in national lists including those managed by the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau, (2) protecting priority habitats recognized by the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity and local protected area authorities, (3) advancing amphibian research consistent with standards from the Society for Conservation Biology and the American Museum of Natural History, and (4) building capacity in local stakeholders from municipal offices and indigenous communities represented in accords like the Indigenous Peoples' Rights Act of 1997.
Governance follows a board‑led model with oversight by a Board of Trustees drawn from academia, non‑governmental organizations, and government agencies, reflecting partnerships with institutions such as the Ateneo de Manila University and the Philippine National Museum. Day‑to‑day operations are managed by an executive director and program managers who coordinate thematic teams for research, captive breeding, outreach, and policy. Advisory panels include specialists from the IUCN Amphibian Specialist Group, representatives of the Department of Science and Technology, and legal advisors familiar with the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act. Annual general meetings convene members, partner NGOs and donor representatives including delegates from the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund and conservation philanthropies.
Key initiatives have included island‑scale habitat restoration projects in collaboration with the World Wildlife Fund Philippines and species recovery programs modelled on protocols from the Amphibian Ark and the Zoological Society of London. The Society runs field surveys in high‑priority sites such as the Sierra Madre, Mount Kitanglad, and the Apo Reef Natural Park to monitor population trends for flagship species like the Platymantis frogs and endemic caecilians. It also administers a captive assurance network with partners at the Philippine Eagle Foundation facilities and botanical garden collaborators like the Laguna Botanical Garden to maintain assurance colonies and reintroduction protocols consistent with the IUCN Reintroduction Guidelines.
The Society publishes peer‑reviewed reports and technical monographs in collaboration with journals and institutes such as the Philippine Journal of Science, the Journal of Herpetology, and the Smithsonian Institution. Research priorities include taxonomy informed by comparisons with collections held at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, disease ecology studies referencing work from the Amphibian Disease Working Group, and climate vulnerability analyses that draw on datasets from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration. Major outputs include species action plans, national survey datasets archived with the Panglao Marine Biodiversity Project network, and policy briefs submitted to the Senate of the Philippines and municipal councils.
Outreach programs target schools, local government units, and indigenous communities, implementing curricula and workshops co‑developed with educators at the Department of Education and biodiversity educators from the Haribon Foundation. The Society conducts citizen science initiatives modelled after platforms used by the National Geographic Society and engages community rangers trained through programs with the World Conservation Monitoring Centre. Public exhibitions, amphibian photo competitions, and collaborative festivals have been mounted with cultural partners like the Cultural Center of the Philippines to raise awareness of species such as the Philippine horned frog and habitat concerns in areas like the Kalinga province.
The Society sustains operations through grants and partnerships with multilateral and philanthropic funders including the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund, the MacArthur Foundation, and bilateral donors such as the United States Agency for International Development. Technical partnerships extend to universities including Silliman University and international museums such as the American Museum of Natural History, while implementation partners include the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Biodiversity Management Bureau, and local NGOs like the Philippine Reef and Rainforest Conservation Foundation. Fundraising also leverages corporate social responsibility programs of companies registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (Philippines) and proceeds from public events in collaboration with tourism offices in provinces like Bohol and Camarines Sur.
Category:Environmental organizations based in the Philippines Category:Amphibian conservation organizations