Nature Reserves, Wilderness, Areas, and National Parks (categories I and II)

include all land area protected in the following IUCN categories:

Category Ia. Strict nature reserve: A protected area managed mainly for
scientific research and monitoring; an area of land and/or sea possessing some
outstanding or representative ecosystems, geological or physiological features and/or
species.
Category Ib. Wilderness area: A protected area managed mainly for wilderness
protection; a large area of unmodified or slightly modified land and/or sea
retaining its natural character and influence, without permanent or significant
habitation, which is protected and managed so as to preserve its natural
condition.
Category II. National park: A protected area managed mainly for ecosystem
protection and recreation; a natural area of land and/or sea designated to: (a)
protect the ecological integrity of one or more ecosystems for present and future
generations; (b) exclude exploitation or occupation inimical to the purposes
of designation of the area; and (c) provide a foundation for spiritual, scientific,
educational, recreational, and visitor opportunities, all of which must be
environmentally and culturally compatible.
Natural Monuments, Species Management Areas, and Protected Landscapes
and Seascapes (categories III, IV, and V) include all land area
protected in the following IUCN categories:
Category III. Natural monument: A protected area managed mainly for
conservation of specific natural features; an area containing one or more specific
natural or natural/cultural features that is of outstanding or unique value because of
its inherent rarity, representative or aesthetic qualities, or cultural
significance.
Category IV. Habitat/species management area: A protected area managed
mainly for conservation through management intervention; an area of land and/or
sea subject to active intervention for management purposes so as to ensure the
maintenance of habitats and/or to meet the requirements of specific species.
Category V. Protected landscape/seascape: A protected area managed mainly
for landscape/seascape conservation and recreation; an area of land, with coast
and sea as appropriate, where the interaction of people and nature over time has
produced an area of distinct character with significant aesthetic, ecological,
and/or cultural value, and often with high biological diversity.

PALANAN WILDERNESS (natural park)

Palanan was established as a township by the Augustinian friars in 1609 and the parish
was named in honor of Saint Mary Magdalene whose feast day falls every 22nd of July.
Nature conservationist have managed to push Palanan into the limelight, calling it the
home of the guardians of the Sierra Madre and citing local folks for sacrificing their
poor towns progress and development in order to save the virgin forests in the northern
part of the mountain range. The mountains are wild and remote, with not a single road
crossing the range in its entire length (although most maps do erroneously show several
routes). The terrain is extremely rugged, the mountains steep and densely forested. The
highest point within the area is Mount Cresta (eleavation:5486 feet), with at least two
more peaks namely Mount Divilacan (4,301 feet) and Mount Palanan (3,977 feet).

More than 90,000 hectares of Palanans total land area of 1,220 square kilometers are
timberland, while another 10,339 hectares are used as cropland. It has a built-up area of
only 52.05 hectares. In the absence of direct road access from adjacent towns, Palanan
can only be reached by a 30-35 minute flight in a six-seater, single engine Cyclone
Cessna commuter plane from Cauayan City or a six to seven-hour boat ride from the
towns of Dingalan or Baler in Aurora province, in the south, or a three to five day hike
from San Mariano town. Except for some tricycles, a few horses and improvised threewheeled motorized kuligligs, the streets of Palanan are empty most of the time.
Bird studies conducted in the early 90s by an international team of scientists revealed 241
species, along with 78 of the nations 169 endemic species, including the mighty
Philippine Eagle. It was a similar story with mammals, 14 species of bats were also found
to be endemic.

EL NIDO (marine reserve park)

El Nido Marine Reserve Park is occupying an area of 96,000 hectares, this popular nature
spot boasts of diverse ecosystems such as rainforest, mangroves, white sand beaches,
coral reefs, and limestone cliffs. It is now one of the country's premier tourist
destinations. Blessed with extraordinary natural scenery, El Nido is, the sanctuary of
various forms of wildlife. Countless varieties of fish are also found here. Manta rays are a
common sight; when in season, divers may see one of the world's rarest marine mammal,
the sea cow, known locally as "dugong".

Mt. IGLIT
Most climbers view hiking as an interaction between man and nature. In Mt. Iglit, this
interaction is added with extra dimensions for it is also home to the Mangyan tribesfolk,
and the habitat of the endangered tamaraw.
A major attraction of Mt. Iglit, of course, is the hiking experience. During the summer
months the temperature is unbearably hot. But once you reach Station 2, the temperature
is cooler. The rangers there plant a variety of fruit trees. The ascent, as mentioned, is
challenging. The trails are very steep (50-60 degrees) and loose rocks would just fall off.
Mt. Iglit is known to the Mangyans as Mt. Mangibok, which means Steep Mountain. It
is so steep and dangerous that several lives have been claimed: one, a researcher, fell
from the ridge. This native name is used in this guide as the name of the steep, narrow
ridge that leads to the summit.

Mt. KAnlaon natl park

Mt. Kanlaon remains to be the highest peak in Central Philippines. Rising up to a summit
elevation of a staggering 8,088 feet or about 2,465 meters, it is one of the most active
volcanoes in the country and is part of the Negros Volcanic Belt. Also called the Cuernos
de Negros or Horns of Negros, Mt Kanlaon is surrounded by several craters and volcanic
peaks. It is also the host of many waterfalls such as the two waterfalls of Sudlon and the
Quipot Falls.
Mt. Kanlaon sits on the expansive grounds of the Mt. Kanlaon National Park, an
undisturbed natural and historical treasure which has evolved for more than a million
years. The park holds more than 40 kilometers of foot trails, most trails leading you up to
the mountains summit. The shortest route is the Masulog trail (8 km). The Ara-al and
Mapot trails could take up to a day while the Wasay trail (longest route) allows you to
delve deeper into the wilderness before reaching the summit in two days. It is advised to
assess ones physical condition, equipment and supplies before taking up this trail.

Mt. Apo
Mount Apo is a large stratovolcano on the island of Mindanao in the Philippines. It is the
highest mountain in the country and overlooks Davao City, a few kilometres to the
northeast. Its name means "master" or "grandfather". Apo is flat topped, with three peaks,
and is capped by a 500 m wide volcanic crater containing a small crater lake. It is a
source of geothermal energy, but the date of its most recent eruption is unknown, and
none are verified in historic times.
Although a declared National Park, the current climbing trails are littered with rubbish,
opening paths for soil erosion across the already denuded mountain sides. Some
mountain and social climbing groups conduct climbs after the main Easter climbing
season to clean the affected areas.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources has submitted Mount Apo for
inclusion in the UNESCO world heritage list. Mount Apo is considered the center of
endemism in Mindanao. It has one of the highest land-based biological diversity in terms
of flora and fauna per unit area. It has three (3) distinct forest formations from lowland
tropical rainforest to mid-mountain forests and finally to high mountain forests.

Taklong island
The Taklong Island National Marine Reserve (TINMAR) was established in 1990
through Presidential Proclamation number 525. The reserve is located in the
municipality of Nueva Valencia, Guimaras in Western Visayas and is bordered by the two
coastal barangays of La Paz and San Roque. It includes the two major islands of Taklong
and Tandog, and about 37 small limestone islets which are collectively known as the
South Point Islands (1024 to 1026N latitude and 12229 to 12231.15 E longitude)
(Fig. 33.1). This coastal portion of southern Guimaras borders the much deeper Panay
Gulf to the southwest, which in turn opens to the Sulu Sea. The marine reserve covers an

area of about 11km2, roughly a tenth of which is comprised of reef flats and fringing
reefs.
Water visibility in the reserve is generally poor throughout the year due to high levels of
suspended material. The physical complexity of reefs in the area varies with respect to
depth (3-5m to 15-20m), degree of slope (0 to > 60), and bottom relief (low relief to spur
& groove, to walls). Inspite of apparently high suspended load in the water, considerable
coral growth has been observed in some areas (e.g., UP Channel east of Taklong Is.)
where silt resistant acroporids dominate.

Coron Island
Coron Island, located at the northern tip of Palawan in the Philippines, is known for
several Japanese shipwrecks World War II vintage. The area around the wrecks have
pleasant rock formations which provide for excellent snorkeling opportunities, with
underwater visibility extending up to 80 feet. The water is usually calm, with almost no
current. Coron is one of the most visited destinations for wreck diving in the Philippines.
Wreck dive sites are found in a depth as shallow as 10-30 feet and as deep as 120-140
feet. Most are in the range of about 60-80 feet, perfect for sports divers.
Wreck Diving Sites in Coron Bay include the Irak
o Wreck, Okikawa Maru Wreck, Akitsushima Wreck, Kogyo Maru Wreck, Olympia
Maru Wreck, Kyokuzan Maru Wreck, East Tangat Gunboat Wreck (real name of the ship,
Teru-Kaze Maru, was recently discovered by a group of Dutch divers, who spent a couple
of days digging into bottom sand around the stern), Nanshin Maru Wreck, Lusong
Gunboat Wreck and Skeleton Wreck.
The aquatic views from the sunken Japanese warships off Coron Island are listed in
Forbes Traveler Magazines top 10 best scuba diving sites in the world.[1][2]
Bantayan Island
Bantayan island, the shining tropical paradise in Asia is commonly known as an island paradise in
Philippines. Tourists as far as Europe fall in love with its fine white sand and crystal clear blue
waters. Many of these foreigners even settled down on the island to spend the rest of their lives.
They build single-cottage beach houses along the shore but as time went by, construct a couple
of new cottages instead to accommodate the growing number of tourists who seeks safe haven
on the splendid island paradise. Two of the main attraction of the island is its crystal-clear waters
and it's long stretch of powdery white sand. The stunning sunset will really spice those romantic
walks on the beach. One of the reasons the island is famous is its peacefulness, the way a resort
should be. Unsaturated beauty and a combination of sweet smiling natives made the island as it
is now.

BAsilan natural biotic area

Basilan Island lies c.20 km south of the tip of the Zamboanga Peninsula of south-western
Mindanao. It is a hilly island, with several peaks that ascend to almost 1,000 m, including
Mt Kebang (Twin Peak) and Mt Mohadji.
Birds Many of the threatened and restricted-range species of the Mindanao and Eastern
Visayas Endemic Bird Area have been recorded on Basilan, but there is little recent
information on their status there. Several of these birds were found to be relatively
abundant there in the past, notably the threatened Mindanao Bleeding-heart and Celestial
Monarch. It is possible that the remaining forests on the island could prove to be very
important for the conservation of some of these birds. The Zamboanga Bulbul is known
only from Basilan and the western half of Mindanao, a distribution that it shares with
several subspecies of birds. A total of 12 subspecies are endemic to Basilan alone, the
four listed above in the table plus Colasisi Loriculus philippensis dohertyi, Philippine
Fairy-bluebird Irena cyanogaster melanochlamys, Streaked Ground-babbler Ptilocichla
mindanensis basilanica, Brown tit-babbler Macronous striaticeps striaticeps, Philippine
Tailorbird Orthotomus castaneiceps mearnsi, Rufous-tailed Jungle-flycatcher Rhinomyias
ruficauda ruficauda, Yellow-bellied Whistler Pachycephala philippensis basilanica and
Little Spiderhunter Arachnothera longirostra randi.
Mt. Isarog Natural Park

Mt. Isarog National Park is home to many of the plants, birds and animals that are known
to reside in the Luzon region. These include 143 different kinds of birds and other
animals like wildpig, monkey, rats, bats and wild cats. This makes Mt. Isarog a place for
educational and scientific activities.
Mt. Isarog provides potable water for the six municipalities and one city surrounding it. It
is home to the Agta-Tabangnon and Agta - Cimarron indigenous groups who were given
legal access to the land located within the Park (also known as the Certificate of
Ancestral Domain Claim or CADC). The scenic waterfalls and the challenging hike
towards the summit make Mt. Isarog a major tourist destination. It is currently under
stress due to the increase of human population and tourism activities. Located within
seven administrative units seeking economic development, the Park is open to
development activities that may not be environmentally sound. It also faces constraints in
the management and preservation of its resources. The establishment of the Park as a
Protected Area, through the NIPAS Act, will lay the necessary regulations for its
management and conservation. It shall ensure the preservation for the Parks rich
diversity of plants and animals. The Mt. Isarog General Management Plan 2000-2004
was conceptualized to counter, if not mitigate the adverse effects of unwise use of
resources and development.
Mt. Isarog is located in the province of Camarines Sur, Southeastern Luzon at 1340 N
and 12321 E (NIPAP, 1998). Bordering the park at the North are the municipality of

Tinambac and San Miguel Bay; at the South by the municipalities of Pili and Ocampo;
the municipality of Goa at the East, and; the floodplain of Camarines Sur in the West.
Protected landscapes and seascapes
are areas of national
significance which are characterized by the harmonious interaction of
man
and land while providing opportunities for public enjoyment through
recreation and tourism within the normal lifestyle and economic
activity of
these areas;Characterized by a complex of terrestrial, wetland and marine ecosystem, the
Batanes group of islands consist of 10 small islands bounded by the Eashi Channel on the north, by
the Pacific Ocean on the east, by the South China Sea on the west and the Balintang Channel on the
south. It is one of the last remaining areas in the Philippines having unique natural physiographic
features (wave-cut cliffs, cave-like outcrops, secluded white sand beaches) resulting from its
position where strong winds and fast currents have etched out its distinct morphology. It is an
important flyaway for many migratory bird species, and the deper portions of the marine
environment are the few remaining sites where pink and red corals (Corallum sp.) are found. The
site is the only area in the Philippines where traditional architecture is of stone in response to the
wind and monsoon stresses rather than of the more typical, tropical, impermanent materials (wood,
bamboo, thatch) cxommonly used in village architecture. Due to its isolation from the rest of the
country, the traditional culture of the area has likewise remained intact.

Apo Island is a small volcanic island, 7km off the southeastern tip of Negros Island in
the Philippines. It is under the jurisdiction of the municipality of Dauin, Negros Oriental.
The marine habitat around the island is a marine reserve; protected by the National
Integrated Protected Area Act (N.I.P.A.) and comes under the jurisdiction of the Protected
Area Management Board (P.A.M.B.).
The island is home to nearly 800 people, mainly fisher folks. Since 2002 Apo has become
a popular dive site and snorkeling destination with tourists. There are two resorts on Apo
Island, both of which have their own dive centers. Apo Island Beach Resort is the smaller
and more exclusive, Liberty's Lodge is larger.
Apo Island is one of the world's best known community-organized marine sanctuaries,
and as such it has been well documented, by the global science community. The project
was started in 1982. It is home to over 650 documented species of fish and estimated to
have over 400 species of corals.
Visitors and tourists pay a fee to enter Apo Island and to snorkel or dive in the marine
sanctuary there, these fees are used to keep the sanctuary clean and in good condition.
In 2003 Chicago's Shedd Aquarium opened a Wild Reef exhibit based on Apo Island's
surrounding reef and marine sanctuary.