FEATURED BIODIVERSITY
Featured Wildlife Species (Fauna)
Link to the Featured Animal Species of the Month
Featured Wildlife Species (Flora)
Link to the Featured Plant Species of the Month
Featured Protected Area
Link to the Featured Protected Area (PA) of the Month
Featured Critical Habitat/ Local Conservation Area
Link to the Featured Critical Habitat/Local Conservation Area
Featured ICCA
Featured Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities Conserved Territories and Areas (ICCAs) of the Month
Uniqueness of Philippine Biodiversity
Overview: The Philippines is considered a mega-diversity country rivaled only by a few countries in the world when it comes to variety of ecosystems, species and genetic resources. Many of the island comprising the archipelago are believed to have a very high degree of land and animal species endemism covering at least 25 genera of plants and 50% of terrestrial wildlife. The country hosts more than 52,177 described species, of which more than half is found nowhere else in the world. On a per unit area basis, the Philippines probably harbors more diversity of life than any other country on the planet. Understanding the impact and threat of human activities to the natural environment particularly the effect of increasing population, resource exploitation and industrial advancement and recognizing the critical importance of protecting and maintaining the natural biological and physical diversities of public lands that are habitats of rare and endangered species of plants and animals, biogeographic zones and related ecosystems, the Philippine government provided by the Constitution established the comprehensive system of integrated protected areas or the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS).
Presently, with the passage of RA 11038 or the Expanded NIPAS Act of 2018, the total number of PA's nationwide increased from 240 to 244.
7.7 Million hectares or 26 % of the total land area are Protected Areas under NIPAS
Terrestrial PAs (4.67M has.) cover 15.6% of total land surface of the Philippines
Marine PAs cover 1.4% of the total marine waters of the Philippines
National Focal Points

Ms. Noralyn Jubaira-Baja

Ms. Petronila P. Garcia

Mr. Roy A. Cimatu
