Leonardo DiCaprio urges action to save Philippines’ Masungi Georeserve

Leonardo DiCaprio. AP PHOTO

Go to Hollywood actor Leonardo DiCaprio’s Instagram, and you’ll see how big of an advocate and environmentalist he is. His most recent call to action is to save the Philippines’ rainforest.

The actor has taken to his page once again to voice his support for the preservation of the Masungi Georeserve, a lush montane rainforest in Rizal province.

In his post on July 4 (PST), the “Titanic” actor highlighted the significant conservation efforts that have restored the area after much of it was illegally deforested in the 1990s.

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“Masungi is a lush montane rainforest landscape outside of Manila, the bustling capital of the Philippines. In the late 1990s, much of Masungi was illegally deforested,” he wrote, emphasizing the fact that the forest has been deforested through time but is now being restored by the locals.

“Local communities fostered the development of the @masungigeoreserve, spurring efforts to restore this precious ecosystem,” he added. “From these conservation initiatives, trees were able to grow taller, wildlife numbers slowly increased, and more locals became involved in protecting this ecosystem.”

However, the actor warned that these efforts are now at risk. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is considering canceling the 2017 agreement with the Masungi Georeserve Foundation Inc. (MGFI), which protects 2,700 hectares of forested land.

This move could leave the area vulnerable to land grabbing, mining, logging and other illegal activities.

“Now this success is in jeopardy, as the Department of Environment and Natural Resources threatens to cancel the agreement that protects this area from prolific land grabbing activities,” DiCaprio continued. “This cancellation would set back the success of an internationally acclaimed conservation effort and leave the area vulnerable again to mining, logging and illegal developments.”

The cancellation recommendation stems from a supposed unconstitutional provision in the agreement. DiCaprio’s call to action encourages the public to join local rangers in urging President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to intervene and maintain the protection of the Masungi Georeserve.

“Join local rangers in calling on President @bongbongmarcos to intervene and continue to protect Masungi. Conservation successes like Masungi serve as a reminder that the Philippines can become a leader in sustainability, eco-tourism, biodiversity protection and climate action. Protect Masungi Georeserve – link in bio,” DiCaprio concluded.

It’s not just DiCaprio – global activist and Nobel Peace Prize nominee Greta Thunberg also stands with Masungi.