DiCaprio urges PBBM to protect Masungi Georeserve

Environmental advocate and actor Leonardo DiCaprio urged President Ferdinand "BongBong" Marcos Jr. to intervene in the protection of the Masungi Georeserve.

DiCaprio highlighted that the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) threatens to cancel an agreement protecting the georeserve from land grabbing and illegal developments.

DENR legal experts and the Department of Justice stated that the contract, established in 2017, violates the Constitution as it exceeds 25 years.

In response to international attention, DENR asserted that 'no one is exempt from the law' and the Masungi Georeserve operation is non-compliant with Philippine laws.

DiCaprio added that conservation successes like Masungi serve as a reminder that the Philippines can become a leader in sustainability, eco-tourism, biodiversity protection, and climate action.

He warned that the cancellation would set back the success of an internationally acclaimed conservation effort and leave the area vulnerable again to mining, logging, and illegal development.

Following DiCaprio's call, Filipino celebrities including Glaiza de Castro, Anne Curtis, John Arcilla, Karen Davila, Arci Muñoz, and Stacey Gabriel have expressed their support for safeguarding the protected area.

Glaiza de Castro and Stacey Gabriel recently participated in a tree-nurturing activity at the Masungi Georeserve.