There are now 14 Philippine natural parks included the ASEAN Heritage Parks list (AHP) after the Apo Reef Natural Park, the Turtle Islands Wildlife Sanctuary, and Balinsasayao Twin Lakes have been named among the five newest natural wonders included in the 62-item AHP list of the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity.
Joining the three Philippine national parks are Laos’ Phou Xieng Thong National Protected Area and Nam Poui National Protected Area.
According to ACB, being part of the AHP list will allow these protected areas with “opportunities to share good practices and experiences on protected area management, participate in regional capacity development and awareness-raising activities, engage with potential regional and international conservation partners, and get assistance in enhancing protected area management operations,” it said on its website.
Located in Occidental Mindoro, the Apo Natural Reef Park is the largest contiguous coral reef system in the Philippines and the second-largest in the world stretching over 27,000 hectares in the MIMAROPA region.
It is home to over 482 fish species and 63 coral genera, along with rare marine invertebrates and species such as dugongs and whale sharks.
On the other hand, the Turtle Islands Wildlife Sanctuary located in the province of Tawi-Tawi has long been recognized as the only major nesting habitat of the Green Sea Turtle in the South East Asian region.
It houses 281 flora species and 414,529 nests of Green Turtles and Hawksbill Turtles recorded for the past 29 years with an average of 13,817 per year.
Balinsasayao Twin Lakes Natural Park in Negros Oriental meanwhile, serves as the habitat of both endangered and endemic species in the Philippines. It is also home to 325 fern species, 237 tree species, 27 mammalian fauna, and 209 resident and migrant birds, of which 14 species are globally threatened.
In a press statement, the Climate Change Commission (CCC) of the Philippines highlighted the importance of these three new ASEAN Natural Parks as they “play a crucial role in mitigating climate change.”
“They absorb vast amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, acting as natural carbon sinks. Healthy marine environments also help regulate global temperatures and protect coastal communities from extreme weather events,” it said.
Meanwhile, CCC Vice Chairperson and Executive Director Robert Borje urged the public to prioritize sustainability practices to help preserve our marine ecosystems.
“We must integrate climate change considerations into the management of these protected areas. By prioritizing sustainable practices, such as reducing pollution and overfishing, we can enhance the resilience of our marine ecosystems and safeguard their contributions to climate change mitigation,” he said.
Started in 1984, the AHP was established to “highlight the importance of a select group of protected areas in regional and global efforts in biodiversity conservation.”
— Jade Veronique Yap/LA, GMA Integrated News
