Stakeholders from the government, business, and the development sector participated in the CarbonPH Coalition Education Series to advance collaboration on high-integrity forest carbon and regional market development
The CarbonPH Coalition, an alliance of top Philippine companies championing nature-based solutions, put the spotlight on the Philippines’ next steps to build an investable forest carbon market, as the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) outlined measures to strengthen project registration, carbon baselines and monitoring.
At the recent session of the CarbonPH Coalition Education Series (CCES), DENR Forest Management Bureau Assistant Director Ray Thomas Kabigting announced the development of a registry to track forest carbon projects and projected credits, and map potential project areas. He said the bureau has also operationalized its National Forest Monitoring System and developed satellite-based monitoring capabilities.
The measures reflect a broader shift in forest restoration—from relying largely on public funding and grants toward creating the conditions for private capital to support conservation and rehabilitation over the long term.
Kabigting said the DENR is also working to bring greater financial and commercial considerations into forest policy as projects move toward implementation.
“FMB is ready to converse with the business sector in a more scaled-up way wherein we’re talking about financing, we can already understand balance sheets, and we can produce policies that are actually aligned with business concepts and business science rather than just pure forestry science,” he said.
Hosted by Aboitiz Equity Ventures, a lead convenor of the CarbonPH Coalition, the learning session brought together policymakers, businesses, carbon market practitioners and regional experts to connect developments in Philippine forest carbon policy with the emerging market architecture across Southeast Asia.
AEV First Vice President and Chief Reputation and Sustainability Officer Ginggay Hontiveros-Malvar said mobilizing investment must go hand in hand with maintaining the environmental and social integrity of the market.
“Leadership begins with integrity. Carbon markets must deliver real climate impact. They must be credible and transparent. And importantly, they must create meaningful value for our forests, our communities, and the people who protect and depend on them,” she said.
The session also looked at how a stronger domestic market could position the Philippines to participate more actively in the ASEAN Common Carbon Framework (ACCF), which brings together carbon market associations from Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand.
The Philippines currently participates as an observer, while ACCF is seeking to broaden regional membership. Its priorities include strengthening supply integrity and demand, developing market infrastructure, improving interoperability among carbon markets, and aligning the region with globally recognized carbon standards.
“Whatever ASEAN chooses to do in terms of harmonizing and interoperability is something that we feel ACCF’s work will help align and give inputs from the private sector perspective,” said Climate Impact X Chief Executive Officer Oi-Yee Choo.
GenZero Director of Strategy and Development Anshari Rahman said quality could become a competitive advantage for Southeast Asia, with ASEAN positioned to produce credits that command a premium while delivering value to host countries, communities and ecosystems. Archeda Inc. Senior Officer Masayuki Kurihara added that the Philippines is well placed to compete in the regional market, citing its human resources and cost competitiveness in forest management, alongside the need to further strengthen data and digital infrastructure.
As DENR moves from market readiness toward implementation and ASEAN works toward greater carbon market connectivity, the CarbonPH Coalition will continue to bring together the policy, capital and expertise needed to turn emerging frameworks into credible investments on the ground.
That vision is already taking shape through CarbonPH, Aboitiz Foundation’s flagship forest restoration and 40-year commitment to restore and protect 71,000 hectares of forest landscape in Cebu.
By combining long-term stewardship, community participation and science-based restoration, the initiative reflects the kind of sustained, high-integrity approach needed to translate climate ambition into lasting value for forests and communities.