Masungi Georeserve’s Billie Dumaliang among Forbes 30 Under 30 in Asia 2022

Masungi Georeserve Foundation’s advocacy officer and trustee Billie Dumaliang has been included in the prestigious “Forbes 30 Under 30” in Asia in 2022.

Dumaliang was named under the social impact category for “systemically and sustainably transforming education, business and beyond.”

Forbes’ seventh annual “30 Under 30 Asia” list features 300 young entrepreneurs, leaders and trailblazers across the Asia-Pacific region, all under the age of 30, who are inspiring change and driving innovation in their respective fields amid the challenges brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic.

It said the 2022 list featured a diverse set of honorees selected from over 4,000 nominations. “This select group of relentless individuals are disrupting industries and tackling major global issues,” said Forbes.

“The criteria for honorees making the list include their demonstration of leadership, how they embody the entrepreneurial spirit that is synonymous with Forbes, and their potential of success in their industry. Other factors like innovation, disruption—and size and growth of their ventures in some categories—play a role in making the final decision,” it added.

In a statement, Dumaliang said she dedicated the recognition to their “entire team and rangers who are holding the line at Masungi.”

“It shows that our work and innovative  approaches continue to be recognized and supported by the international community,” she said.

Masungi Georeserve Foundation conserves a limestone forest heavily threatened by quarrying, illegal structures, and corruption. In 2017, it embarked on a mission to restore 2,700 hectares of degraded watershed areas surrounding Masungi through a landmark agreement with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

Billie and her sister Ann Dumaliang were also recognized as awardees of Vanity Fair’s Changing Your Mind Awards in 2021.

In 2018, the team at Masungi Georeserve Foundation received a Special Commendation for Innovation in Conservation Financing and Resourcing at the UN Convention on Biological Diversity held in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt. According to a report by the UN Development Programme, the gap for biodiversity financing in the Philippines is at a staggering 80%. – RC, GMA News