17/06/2026
๐ ๐๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ด๐ต๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฒ
This year's theme, "๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ป๐ด๐ฒ๐น๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ๐: ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ด๐ป๐ถ๐๐ฒ. ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐. ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฒ.", reminds us that healthy rangelands are essential for food security, biodiversity, climate resilience, and sustainable livelihoods.
๐๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฃ๐ต๐ถ๐น๐ถ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ๐, rangelands is composed of grasslands and brushlands, and cover ๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐
๐ถ๐บ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐น๐ ๐ฑ.๐ฑ ๐บ๐ถ๐น๐น๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐, or about ๐ญ๐ด.๐ฑ% ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐๐ป๐๐ฟ๐'๐ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฎ๐น ๐น๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ. These expansive landscapes are found across provinces such as Bukidnon, Cotabato, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, Isabela, Ilocos, Negros, Masbate, Samar, Tarlac, Palawan, and Mindoro, where they support livestock production, protect watersheds, and provide habitat for native wildlife.
Despite their importance, many of ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ ๐ณ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป due to unsustainable land use, invasive species, and changing climate conditions. Protecting and restoring rangelands through sustainable management can help secure ecosystem services, strengthen rural livelihoods, and enhance the country's resilience to drought and land degradation.
This Desertification and Drought Day 2026, let us recognize the value of our rangelands, respect the communities that have long cared for these landscapes, and restore them for future generations.
๐ฑ Recognize. Respect. Restore.
๐UN | Desertification Day
๐Zabala, N. Q. (1965). Range landsโIts importance to Philippine economy. Forestry Leaves (Moving-Up Day Issue), 73โ76.