Tubbataha, Hamiguitan recognized as ASEAN heritage parks

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) announced the inclusion of two internationally renowned parks in the country to the list of high-status ranks of Southeast Asia’s most revered and treasured parks.

DENR Secretary Ramon Paje said the Mt. Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary (MHRWS) in Davao Oriental and Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park (TRNP) in Palawan gained the nod of environment ministers from the 10 member-countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nation as the newest ASEAN Heritage Parks (AHP).

“The designation of TRNP and MHRWS as regional heritage parks is long overdue, both having been named earlier as UNESCO World Heritage Sites,” Paje said.

Paje said the country is honored by the designation, which brought to seven the total number of AHPs from the Philippines.

“This latest recognition indicates that the natural characteristics of both TRNP and MHRWS are so exceptional they deserve to be protected for the benefit of everyone in Southeast Asia,” Paje added.

The five other AHPs in the country are the Mt. Apo Natural Park, Mt. Kitanglad Range Natural Park, and Mt. Malindang Range Natural Park, all in Mindanao, Mt. Iglit-Baco National Park in Occidental Mindoro, and the Mount Makiling Forest Reserve in Laguna.

Covering a total of 6,834 hectares, MHRWS is shared by seven barangays, namely: Macambol and Cabuaya of Mati; La Union, Maputi and Talisay of San Isidro; and Osmeña Sr. and Tandang Sora of Governor Generoso, all in the province of Davao Oriental.

Established in 2004, the sanctuary is dominated by Mt. Hamiguitan, which stands at 1,637 meters. Mt. Hamiguitan is distinguished by a bonsai field or “pygmy” forest of 100-year- old trees on ultramafic soil.

Noted for its rich biodiversity, the protected area has also been identified as one of the key biodiversity areas in the country.

Major forest types in the sanctuary include cultivated forests with brushland and grassland at the lower portions of the park; secondary growth forest; and mossy forest in the highlands.

Trees within the mossy-pygmy forest have an average height of only 1.4 meters with a diameter of eight centimeters.

One of the dominant species that can only be found in this forest type is tinikaran or red fig tree and Wendlandia nervosa.