The Philippines needs a P25 billion annual budget for its biodiversity conservation programs, an official of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said on Friday, March 8.

Environment Undersecretary Jonas Leones said the budget of the agency for its biodiversity conservation for 2024 is only P4.2 billion.

“Based on the study of Biofin, there is a huge financing gap, you need about P25 billion [annual budget for biodiversity conservation] but the funding is only around P5 billion,” he said during the launching of the free mobile game application Animal Town at the DENR’s central office in Quezon City.

To raise more funds for its biodiversity conservation programs, the DENR launched Animal Town as an innovative solution to narrow the budget gap and mobilize support for conservation.

He said the game application is expected to generate P810,000 for this year alone and will be added to the DENR’s biodiversity conservation fund.

“What we just presented (Animal Town) is part of the innovative solution that we are applying so that we can narrow the [budget] gap,” he said.

“Through Animal Town, we have a powerful tool at our disposal to mobilize support for biodiversity conservation efforts,” he added.

The agency official noted that every virtual transaction in the mobile application translates into a “tangible impact on the ground,  whether it be reforestation projects, wildlife protection measures, or community-based conservation initiatives.”

By simply playing the game, making in-game purchases, and viewing advertisements, Leones said players can contribute to funding crucial conservation initiatives in the Philippines.

In Animal Town, the user plays as a recruit in a biodiversity advocates team to help a group of talking animals manage a town to conserve biodiversity.

DENR Secretary Maria Antonia “Toni” Yulo-Loyzaga said the Philippines has 46 million registered mobile application users.

“So even a tiny percentage of paying gamers can do a lot to support our country’s conservation initiatives,” she said in a statement.

The agency noted that the mobile application will be managed by the Forest Foundation Philippines (FFP), a conservation partner of the environment department.

FFP executive director Atty. Jose Andres Canivel said they will ensure that funds are utilized in accordance with the Philippine Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (PBSAP) and are directed towards the conservation of the country’s natural resources.

Meanwhile, the DENR-Biodiversity Management Bureau (DENR-BMB) will determine which conservation programs Animal Town will support.

The Animal Town was formally launched by the biodiversity finance initiatives (DENR-UNDP BIOFIN) of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the DENR-BMB together with FFP.

The free mobile application can be downloaded for free at the Google Play Store for Android phones and the Apple App Store for iOS phones.