9 November 2025
The Government of the Philippines, through the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMB), is set to host the Meeting of Partners (MOP) for the first time since the launch of the East Asian–Australasian Flyway Partnership (EAAFP) in November 2006, recognizing the timely and global significance of the country’s contributions to migratory waterbird conservation and habitat protection. The 12th Meeting of Partners (MOP12) will take place from 10-14 November 2025 in Lapu-lapu City, Cebu, where the Olango Island Wildlife Sanctuary (OIWS), the first Flyway Network Site in the Philippines, is located.
Bringing together EAAFP Partners, experts, and observers, the MOP is a platform for knowledge exchange, strengthening partnerships, and advancing science-based approaches to wetland and waterbird conservation. Uniting diverse communities across the Flyway, this year’s MOP is themed Weaving Connections: Celebrating Migration, Traditional Knowledge, and Innovation across our Flyway.
The EAAF is one of the world’s most important migratory bird routes straddling 22 countries from Alaska, Russia, towards China, Japan, Korea, Southeast Asia, and further down to Australia and New Zealand. Over 50 million migratory waterbirds, including globally threatened species such as the Far Eastern Curlew, Spoon-billed Sandpiper, and Black-faced Spoonbill, are supported by the Flyway.
With migratory birds continuously being threatened by habitat loss, pollution, and climate change, further worsened by human activities, the EAAFP aims to promote flyway-wide cooperation. This is also to conserve the network of wetland habitats for migratory waterbirds, especially internationally important sites called Flyway Network Sites (FNS), encompassing their breeding, foraging, and resting sites as they complete their annual migration cycle.
The recognition and protection of FNS ensures the ecological connectivity of functional wetland habitats across the flyway for birds and communities dependent on them for livelihood, health, and climate resiliency.
Committed to advancing the objectives of the Partnership, the event also anticipates the official and international recognition of three (3) Flyway Network Sites, and the ceremonial declaration of two (2) Wetlands of International Importance or Ramsar Sites, and one (1) Wetland City in the country.
Around 300 delegates from over 20 countries will represent the governments, intergovernmental organizations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), academic institutions, and flyway network site managers from across the EAAF and nearby regions. MOP12 will feature committee meetings, plenaries, side events, a pre-event youth storybook launch, an exhibit, and a field visit to showcase conservation in action.
“There are important discussions ahead about the future of our flyway. Through MOP12, the EAAFP seeks to gather the perspectives of government and non-government Partners and engage other sectors to strengthen collaboration and push for a more inclusive approach to conservation. We are grateful to the Philippines for graciously and generously hosting this event,” Jennifer George, Chief Executive of the EAAFP, said in a statement.
MOP12 is supported by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity, San Miguel Aerocity Inc., POSCO INTERNATIONAL, Hunan Global Messenger Technology Co., Ltd., Faunatech – A Wildlife Acoustics Company, and Korea South-East Power Co. Yeongheung Power Division.
As the Partnership weaves connections for enhanced cooperation across the Flyway, MOP12 also strengthens the connection between healthy wetlands and conservation of migratory waterbirds, closely knitting the sustainable future of both birds and people.