The world may be enchanted by the cherry blossom. But the Philippines has a wide variety of beautiful flowering trees that have yet to be featured in movies or on television.
Take for example the Banaba Tree (Lagerstroemia speciosa), with its vibrant and bright purple flowers. It is native to the Philippines, as well as a few other countries.
The Banaba has many medical benefits too. Dried Banaba leaves are shredded and used for diabetes and kidney disease. This use of Banaba only occurs in the Philippines, despite growing in several countries! Science is just now verifying the anti-diabetic properties of Banaba, and the data is promising.
Did you know that native trees are better for our forests than exotic ones? They are more adapted to the tropical environment, strengthen local ecosystem services, and attract more biodiversity.
Meet more of our Forest Friends below!
More about the Forest Governance Project
Our Forest Friends awareness campaign is part of the Forest Governance Project or FOGOP. The project aims to increase local community participation in forest management and land use plans. It involves communities and forest areas in three (3) key locations: Mt. Irid-Angelo in Luzon, Mt. Siburan in Mindoro, and Mt. Hilong-hilong in Mindanao.
Learn more about FOGOP here.
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