On July 11, 2025, the ACES team, alongside Ms. Marissa del Rosario-Blackett, the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRSAP) Climate and Displacement Advisor, conducted an assessment and monitoring visit at Simarik Island as part of the C3P3 Project (Care for Communities and Creation – Pillar 3).
In close partnership with the Ateneo Center for Environment and Sustainability (ACES) through its SIEMBRA Project (Stewardship and Indigenous Environmental Management for Biodiversity and Resilience Action), the C3P3 initiative aims to rehabilitate and enrich a total of 10 hectares of land as well as empower the Indigenous communities like the Sama Bangigi of the coastal areas of the Simarik Island.
Our Impact Aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): The project contributes to SDG 15 (Life on Land) by restoring forests and halting biodiversity loss; SDG 14 (Life Below Water) through protecting marine ecosystems via mangrove rehabilitation; SDG 13 (Climate Action) by strengthening resilience against climate risks; and SDG 11 (Sustainable Communities) through safeguarding Indigenous lands and livelihoods. Additionally, it supports SDGs 1, 2, and 10 by reducing poverty, hunger, and inequality through community-led conservation efforts.
This work wouldn’t be possible without the dedication of our partners in Indigenous communities, who stand at the forefront of sustainability.
