A Ramsar site is a wetland site designated to be of international importance under the Ramsar Convention. These are sites containing representative, rare or unique wetlands, or wetlands that are important for conserving biological diversity. There are currently over 2,300 Ramsar Sites around the world covering over 2.1 million square kilometres.
The Convention on Wetlands, known as the Ramsar Convention, is an intergovernmental environmental treaty established in 1971 by UNESCO, which came into force in 1975. It is named after the city of Ramsar in Iran, where the Convention was signed.
The Philippines now have 8 sites designated as Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar Sites) with the inauguration of the Sasmuan Pampanga Coastal Wetland (SCPW) this February 2,2021 coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the RAMSAR convention.
RAMSAR Site No | Site | Wetland Type | Location | Designation Date | Area (has) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1009 | Agusan Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary | Marsh | Agusan del Sur | November 12,1999 | 14,836 |
2124 | Las Pinas-Paranaque Critical Habitat and Ecotourism Area(LPPCHEA) | Coastal Wetland | Manila Bay Area (Metro Manila) | March 15, 2013 | 175 |
1008 | Naujan Lake National Park | Lake | Naujan, Oriental Mindoro | November 12, 1999 | 14,568 |
2271 | Negros Occidental Coastal Wetlands Conservation Areas | Coastal Wetlands | Negros Occidental | October 20, 2016 | 89,608 |
656 | Olango Island Wildlife Sactuary | Intertidal sandflats, mangroves, seagrass beds, coral reefs and islets. | Lapu-Lapu City Cebu | July 1, 1994 | 5,800 |
2084 | Puerto Princesa Subteranean River National Park | River | Puerto Princesa, Palawan | June 30, 2012 | 22,202 |
1010 | Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park | marine park with pristine coral reefs | Cagayancillo, Palawan | November 12, 1999 | 96,828 |
Map of the RAMSAR Sites in the Philippines
***** Sources / Further Reading*****
Link to Philippine RAMSAR Sites
Annotated List of Wetlands of International Importance