DESTINATION

ABOUT MASUNGI

Our Community

The Masungi Georeserve is cared for, protected, and loved by a group of passionate individuals for the environment and the place. Initiatives are led and funded by Blue Star Construction & Development Corporation and the foundation body of Masungi Georeserve. We do our conservation efforts, alongside the communities of Pinugay, Baras, Cuyambay, and Tandang Kutyo.

Our Commitment

Our core commitment is to work towards a balance coexistence of man and nature in our little piece of paradise. We work towards this by pursuing the following: 


Vision

To become the top geotourism destination and respected conservation area in the Philippines for the international community


Mission

To sustainably manage the Masungi Georeserve limestone formations and biodiversity in perpetuity through the triple strategy of conservation, education and sustainable development. We strive to fulfill these with the following values in mind and at work: Discipline, Cleanliness and Pride for Our Own.

Our Story

In the late 1990s, what is now the Masungi Georeserve and its surrounding areas were deforested and overridden by an epidemic of land-grabbing activities. Illegal logging was prevalent and threats large-scale quarrying were present. Environmental offenders were many and took heavy tolls on the project, as we dreamt to restore back its forests and transform it into a development where nature is a priority and man interacts with his surroundings mindfully.

 

The location and concept did not appeal to many making the beginnings rocky developmentally and financially. However, this has also shown itself as a blessing to pursue conservation more intimately a place we have grown to love. Since securing the spine of the rock formation in the 2000s, restoration and rehabilitation has been underway. Trees are now growing taller, the wildlife is slowly but surely getting richer, and genuine concern for the environment is becoming an integral part of living for everyone involved.

 

With a strong commitment to the environment for over two decades now, it is now our hope to share our love for nature, scale our impact on surrounding communities, and ignite our guests’ interest in the fields of conservation, sustainable conservation development, and geotourism.

 

In 2017, under a landmark agreement with conservation advocate and then-DENR Secretary Gina Lopez, the Masungi Geopark Project was born. The ecosystem restoration initiative aims to restore nearly 2,700 hectares of degraded forestland around Masungi Georeserve, and address gaps in halting deforestation in the area.

Our Key Approaches

Secure Conservation Model

Secure Conservation Model

We use our land management know-how and proactively take measures to secure and plan areas involved. By doing so, we are able to give systemic legal and physical forest protection against unregulated development and forms of uses in conflict with conservation. Tighter monitoring and implementation of rules are given attention to being a wide area very close to urban Metro Manila. Because areas are previously damaged, this approach gives the land much-needed time and space to heal and cope.

Landscape Scale Conservation

Landscape Scale Conservation

Habitat loss and destruction are key causes of biodiversity decline in the Philippines. Our lens brings attention to the very land and earth heritage, and gives us an opportunity to address the problem at macro-scale and create a sanctuary and refuge for all life forms within.

Restoration

Restoration

Bringing back the forests is not only a tree planting activity in Masungi Georeserve. It involves strategic planning for forest restoration, long-term tree nurturing, support infrastructure, and mitigation of threats to forest growth (i.e. illegal logging, quarrying, treasure-hunting, grazing animals, kaingin).

Limited Development & Geotourism for Conservation

Limited Development & Geotourism for Conservation

Our limited developments financially and physically support our conservation operations that constitutes a larger part of the area. Today, geotourism is our means to continuously, sustainably, and independently fund and operate our conservation activities, after the investments we have placed in restoration and support development. Geotourism follows the principles below to enable man to exist in harmony with nature: (a) protection and enhancement of integrity and character of place (b) market selectivity & diversity, (c) guest interpretation and satisfaction, (d) community involvement & benefit, (e) planning and land-use for conservation and resources.