Left phoo shows USAID Philippines Deputy Mission Director Rebekah Eubanks (center left), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Undersecretary for Legal and Administration Ernesto Adobo Jr. (center right), Bonifacio Art Foundation Managing Director Maribel Garcia (extreme right) with environment partners at the launch of the new “Biodiversity Crisis Escape Room” at The Mind Museum in Taguig City. Other photo shows USAID Philippines Deputy Mission Director Eubanks handing over to DENR Undersecretary for Legal and Administration Adobo Jr. “Sukat Ng Kalikasan”, a practical conservation guide tailored to the Philippines.
US, PH launch ‘Escape Room’ for biodiversity education
IN celebration of the International Day for Biological Diversity on May 22, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) launched the “Biodiversity Crisis Escape Room”—an interactive new attraction at The Mind Museum in Taguig City where children and adults can learn more about safeguarding the natural world.
Developed in partnership with the Bonifacio Art Foundation, Inc. and funded through USAID’s Php1.35-billion ($25 million) Sustainable Interventions for Biodiversity, Oceans and Landscapes (SIBOL) initiative, the escape room offers a hands-on learning experience for visitors who will have to solve unique biodiversity-related puzzles and challenges to exit the room. Younger visitors will also enjoy the escape room’s accompanying television program called “MIND S-COOL” which features puppet characters navigating through a biodiversity crisis.
The “Biodiversity Crisis Escape Room” at The Mind Museum will run until May 31, with tickets priced at Php150. Following its run in Taguig City, the attraction will also tour other locations, including Subic (Harbor Point, June 15-16), Puerto Princesa City (Robinson’s Mall, June 29-30), and Davao City (Abreeza Mall, July 27-28). The escape room will eventually return as a regular attraction at The Mind Museum in August.
“Biodiversity loss not only threatens the survival of countless species but also undermines the stability of ecosystems and the services they provide, impacting human well-being and livelihoods,” USAID Philippines Deputy Mission Director Rebekah Eubanks said. “We must all become active participants in this plan to safeguard the country’s rich biodiversity for future generations.”
During the launch, USAID Philippines Deputy Mission Director Eubanks also handed over to DENR Undersecretary for Legal and Administration Ernesto Adobo Jr. the “Sukat ng Kalikasan” (“Measurement of Nature”) toolkit. Developed over three years by USAID and DENR also under USAID’s SIBOL initiative, “Sukat ng Kalikasan” offers standardized, evidence-based methods for measuring and assessing the value of the country’s natural assets, allowing the Philippine government to make more informed decisions in its conservation efforts.
“’Sukat ng Kalikasan,’ translated as ‘Measurement of Nature,’ is a product of our collective action to measure the country’s ecological, socio-economic and cultural values and baselines. Its approach improves the accuracy of determining conservation targets and measuring ecosystem services,” DENR Undersecretary for Legal and Administration Adobo Jr. said. “Customized for the Philippine context, its objective is to appreciate the values that our ecosystems provide, so that we are in a more resilient position to manage our natural resources sustainably while achieving our development goals.”
The Philippines is one of 18 megadiverse countries in the world, hosting 70 percent of the Earth’s flora and fauna. Through SIBOL, USAID supports the Philippines’ efforts to achieve a resilient environment and inclusive green growth.
