Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

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<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1743562294061Screen Shot 2025-04-02 at 10.50.51 AM.png" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Dubbed as “Mama Ranger,” Angelique Songco leads a small team of rangers protecting the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park from illegal fishing and poaching. Screenshot from the US State Department Youtube page </span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>MANILA — The US State Department recognized the Philippines&#x27; Angelique Songco as one of its recipients of the 2025 International Women of Courage (IWOC) Award in a ceremony held in the US on Tuesday (Manila time) and led by First Lady Melania Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/people/inspiring-stories/metro-channel-inspiring-people-regenerate-earth/33056">Inspiring People: Regenerating The Earth</a></div><p>The IWOC Award, now in its 19th year, recognizes women around the world &quot;who have demonstrated exceptional courage, strength, and leadership – often at great personal risk and sacrifice.&quot;</p><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/61q1IexbTzc?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span>Dubbed as “Mama Ranger,” Songco leads a small team of rangers protecting the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park from illegal fishing and poaching.  </div><p>&quot;Ms. Songco fuses maritime law enforcement with a passion for rehabilitation. Her leadership, for over two decades, has resulted in a dramatic decrease in trespassers per month in the protected area.  As the reef flourishes, Ms. Songco and her rangers have become an example of what is possible when a strategic leader successfully merges conservation and anti-corruption efforts,&quot; the US State Department said.</p><p>The reef ecosystem supports over 360 species of coral and almost 700 species of fish and is a significant source of economic benefit to the Philippines through tourism, conservation, and the marine resources it supports.  </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/life/01/04/23/tubbataha-among-worlds-best-scuba-diving-destinations">PH&#x27;s Tubbataha Reef named among best scuba diving destinations in the world</a></div><p>In 2023, Tubbataha Reef Marine Park, located in the Sulu Sea near Palawan, ranked 18th in Travel + Leisure&#x27;s list of &quot;19 Beautiful Destinations With the Best Scuba Diving in the World.&quot;</p><p>Aside from Songco, awardees included Georgiana Pascu of Romania, Zabib Musa Loro Bakhit of South Sudan, and Namini Wijedasa of Sri Lanka, among others.</p><p>US diplomatic missions overseas nominate one woman of courage from their respective host countries, and finalists are selected and approved by senior Department officials.  </p><p>Since 2007, the Department of State has recognized more than 200 women from over 90 countries with the IWOC Award.  </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO: </strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/iVlJ0ReaSEI?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Dubbed as “Mama Ranger,” Angelique Songco leads a small team of rangers protecting the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park from illegal fishing and poaching. </p>

Dubbed as “Mama Ranger,” Angelique Songco leads a small team of rangers protecting the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park from illegal fishing and poaching.

US State Dept honors 'Mama Ranger' of Tubbataha Reef as 'Women of Courage' awardee

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US State Dept honors 'Mama Ranger' of Tubbataha Reef as 'Women of Courage' awardee

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Published Apr 02, 2025 12:09 PM PHT

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Updated Apr 02, 2025 12:26 PM PHT

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