When you think of tourism in the Philippines, white sand beaches probably come to mind. But for those who want to explore, the country has much to offer those who love nature and mountains. One of these is the Masungi Georeserve in Baras, Rizal province, where one can commune with nature, walk along a sprawling limestone landscape, and view wildlife and plant species.

National Women’s Month brings the names of two sisters who are now behind the conservation of this place – Ann and Billie Dumaliang, who founded the Masungi Georeserve Foundation in 2015.

Billie is a trustee and handles communication, guest care, and product development of the foundation. Her older sister Ann is the managing trustee who oversees the geotourism and conservation efforts of the foundation. She is also a NatGeo explorer. Both of them are graduates of BS Management from the Ateneo De Manila University.

ANN (left) and Billie (right) Dumaliang. (Photo by Nikki Inso/Masungi Georeserve)

“We were always exposed to nature, to the outdoors and remote sites by our parents,” Billie said of their strong interest in nature. She said they often received books on nature and National Geographic magazines as gifts back when they were younger.

Today, the sisters are known for the work they have done on Masungi Georeserve and on their continuing initiatives to keep it that way through geotourism. The focus of the Foundation’s work is on the conservation of a limestone forest found atop the karst formations the reserve is known for.

“To women environment defenders experiencing harassment, and not having a voice, let’s continue what we’re doing. let’s continue working together to protect these areas that are worth protecting. We’re doing it for our families, we’re doing it for the future generations of our communities,” she said during the interview with Manila Bulletin.

REFORESTATION

Masungi situated at the southern portion of the Sierra Madre mountain range along the Marikina-Infanta Highway in Baras, Rizal – 47 kilometers east of Manila.

In 2000, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) allowed Blue Star Corporation to convert, conserve, and rehabilitate the land into a conservation park. This gave way to the privately-led conservation of the limestone formations. Leading the family’s advocacy was the sisters’ father Ben Dumaliang, a civil engineer, Billie said.

In 2017, the foundation and the DENR, led by then Secretary Gina Lopez, started work to restore 2,700 hectares of degraded watershed areas surrounding Masungi Georeserve. That initiative was known as the Masungi Geopark Project, said to be the largest collaborative reforestation effort in the Philippines.

TOURISTS at the Masungi Geo Reserve in Baras Rizal on Sunday Feb. 26, 2023.  The Masungi Georeserve is a conservation area and a rustic rock garden tucked in the rainforests of Rizal.  (Arnold Quizol/ Manila Bulletin photo)

Today, the Masungi Geopark Project is home to more than 100,000 native trees, majority of them narra. The Masungi Georeserve’s karst ecosystem is a habitat for various flora and fauna with endemic species such as the North Luzon giant cloud rat, Philippine serpent eagle, Salinggogon tree, and JC’s vines (Strongylodon juangonzalezii), named after a scientist from the UP Los Baños.

The Masungi Georeserve offers eco-tours that allow visitors to view the karst landscape through the now very popular Discovery Trail.

There is also the Legacy Trail which the park’s brochure describes as “an immersion in the greater Gasungi Geopark Project where restoration efforts are currently ongoing. Guests will be able to directly participate in bringing life back in the abused land,” with tree planting and tree nurturing activities.

Both are guided tours led by a park ranger. To support conservation efforts, there is a limited number of people who are allowed in each tour.

AWARDS

Masungi Geoserve and the sisters behind it have recognized awards for their initiatives. In 2022, Billie was named one of “Forbes 30 Under 30” in Asia under the social impact category.

That year, Masungi’s Geopark Project was awarded the 2022 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDG) Action Award under the “inspire” category.

Billie said that award was an “empowering moment” because at that time they were in the middle of a land invasion case. “I felt really empowered that we were doing the right thing, that we should continue what we are doing,” she said.

TOURISTS enjoy the 'spider web'  feature at the Masungi Georeserve Park on Feb. 26, 2023 (Arnold Quizol/Manila Bulletin photo)

In 2021, Masungi was recognized with the 2021 Water Changemakers Award. Also that year, the Dumaliang sisters were among the winners of Vanity Fair’s 2021 Changing Your Mind Travel Awards.

Ann was among the regional finalists for Asia and the Pacific of the Young Champions of the Earth prize in 2020, the United Nations’ highest honor for the youth.

The team at Masungi Georeserve Foundation also received a special commendation for Innovation in Conservation Financing and Resourcing at the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity in Egypt in 2018.

WOMEN ARE THE FUTURE

“Most of our team are below 35. When we talk to people who are twice our age, it’s hard to get our messages across…being straightforward as a woman is not seen positively. They see it negatively, and that affects the relationship with power holders,” Billie said.

“It's a very difficult socio-political context for conservation, and as a woman, you have to rise above all the prejudice that they have against both women and young people,” she added.

“What we do [to make them listen] is to show our work, we invite them over to the site so they can see it. Because words are something, but when you see or experience it for yourself, that’s a different kind of experience that would hopefully move them to support our cause,” Billie said.

Billie believes that “Women are the future. I hope that we will take the wheel, we’ll lean in where we are, and we will make our voices heard...we can be anything we want to be, we can be assertive, and we can lead in our communities, and in our nation.” (Pancho Parian)