LAWIN, a Philippine-made mobile application created to monitor protected areas in the country, was given the spotlight at the first Multi-stakeholder Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation (STI Forum) held at the United Nations (UN) headquarters in New York.
LAWIN was presented to government stakeholders, the academic community, civil society groups, and members of the private sector as a notable innovation designed to protect forest biodiversity in the Philippines.
The LAWIN Forest and Biodiversity Protection System mobile app provides accurate information about the status of protected areas (covered by Republic Act No. 7586, or the National Integrated Protected Areas System Act).
The web-based app would give wildlife authorities real time critical information including photos and videos on hundreds of protected species and resources that can be used to identify and prosecute wildlife crime.
Project LAWIN is developed by the Department of Environment and National Resources (DENR) and the Biodiversity and Watersheds Improved for Stronger Economy and Ecosystem Resilience (B+WISER) Program of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
The DENR and USAID B+Wiser Program aim to utilize LAWIN to monitor seven protected areas and watersheds in the Philippines: Sierra Madre Natural Park, Kaliwa-Upper Marikina Watersheds, Naujan Lake National Park, Quinali “A” Watershed, Bago Watershed Forest Reserve, Mt. Kitanglad Range Natural Park, and Mt. Apo Natural Park.
