Research Details

This project is paramount to evaluate the culturally significant plant resources among the selected IP/IC communities, providing baseline information and justification for future research. The conservation of biodiversity, particularly of traditional plants, is vital in today’s critically vulnerable environment. Unfortunately, the effectiveness of biodiversity conservation is diminished due to factors such as shifts in species phenology, changes in invasive species dynamics, and increasing anthropogenic pressures (Wang et al., 2024). Amid the ongoing loss of biodiversity, it is argued that successfully conserving threatened plant species requires a more effective integration of various conservation strategies (Heywood, 2019). Given that the exploration of culturally significant plants is an invaluable study in Philippine ethnobotany, these plants are an integral part of the culture and the relationship between people and plants (Dapar and Alejandro, 2020).  Added to that is their ethnopharmacological relevance wherein people utilize the plants to treat or manage themselves against diseases (Quiroz et al., 2016).

This project is composed of three studies. It will focus on the documentation and botanical characterization of plants and their practices as utilized in rituals, as medicine, and as food from selected ICCs/IPs in Ilocos Norte. This will be done in collaboration with or with the assistance of the National Commission for Indigenous Peoples (NCIP). The top 10 plants identified considered to be understudied will be forwarded to succeeding studies, such as initial phytochemical analysis and in vitro biological testing.

Patent/Product:  Inventory of culturally significant plants from selected ICCs/IPs of IlocosInformation on the phytochemical and bioactivities of selected plants

Publication: At least 2 publishable journal articles and a monograph

People Services: At least two local or academic mappers will be trained

Partnerships: Enhance partnerships with researchers and increase collaborations with other researching professionals from government agencies, industries, and academe

Policies: Proposed policy on plant conservation, protection and management

Socio-cultural Impact:  Strengthens the community’s cultural identity giving them deeper understanding of their cultural assets and resources and knowledge how to promote and protect them

Economic Impact:  Increased investment for the LGUs for the protection and promotion of the natural heritage