Billie Dumaliang

Billie Dumaliang manages the award-winning Masungi Georeserve, a conservation and sustainable tourism initiative located east of Manila, alongside her sister, Ann Dumaliang. Situated east of Manila, Masungi protects 60-million-years-old limestone formations and hundreds of plant and animal species, many of them threatened. Since the 2000s, the project has reforested 3,000 hectares of degraded land and provides clean water to neighbouring communities by employing those who used to exploit the land, instead recruiting them for its conservation efforts. Their comprehensive approach to environmental protection includes engagement with local communities, fostering education and grassroots involvement in conservation.

Dumaliang’s dedication to conservation stems from her childhood in Rizal, where she witnessed the impacts of quarrying and illegal logging on the natural landscape. Her father, a civil engineer with a respect for nature, further inspired her commitment to environmental protection.

Billie Dumaliang’s impact has been recognised internationally. She was named among the 50 Rising Stars in ESG in 2023 by the Women of the Future Programme; and in 2022, the Masungi Geopark Project won the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Action Award for its innovative reforestation and conservation work.

Through her work, Dumaliang has positioned Masungi as a beacon of hope for conservation, sustainable tourism and community-driven environmental stewardship. Her efforts have earned global recognition and are making a significant and lasting impact on the future of Philippine biodiversity, inspiring others to follow in her footsteps.