The Olango Island Wildlife Sanctuary (OIWS) in Lapu-lapu City, Cebu is the Philippines’ first designated Ramsar Site, when it was included in the Ramsar List of Wetlands of International importance on July 1, 1994. As a Ramsar Site, it met the tedious criteria set by the Convention on identifying Wetlands of International Importance such as containing representative, rare or unique wetland types and being a site of international importance for conserving biological diversity. OIWS is considered as the one of the most important sites in the Philippines for the Asian dowitcher ( Limnodromus semipalmatus ), a rare waterbird species. It is also one of the most important areas in the country for significant numbers of migratory waterbirds coming from Siberia, Northern China and Japan. Over 10,000 shorebirds have been recorded in a single count during migration season, hosting a total of 97 species of birds, 54 of which are migratory and 43 are resident species.
Naujan Lake National Park (NLNP) in Oriental Mindoro is the country’s second designated Ramsar Site, when it was included in the Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance on November 12, 1999 along with Agusan Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary in Agusan del Sur and Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park in Palawan. NLNP is the fifth largest lake in the Philippines and serves as an important feeding and wintering area for 19 species of migratory birds, including the Tufted ducks (Aythya fuligula). Large numbers of ducks and other waterbirds such as herons, egrets, rails, plovers and bitterns can also be found in Naujan Lake, as well as the endemic and threatened Philippine duck (Anas luzonica).It also serves as home to at least three (3) Mangyan tribes residing within the boundaries of NLNP namely: Alangan, Hanunoo and Tadyawan, who depend upon the lake for their livelihood, particularly through fishing.
Agusan Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary(AMWS) in Agusan del Sur was included in the Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance on November 12, 1999 along with Naujan Lake National Park in Oriental Mindoro and Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park in Palawan. It is the country’s third Wetland of International Importance or “Ramsar site.” AMWS is a stronghold of unique and pristine habitats and is considered as one of the most significant wetlands in the Philippines. It is home to the only remaining intact peat swamp forest, which plays an important role in storing and sequestration of carbon from the atmosphere and a wintering ground of birds migrating from Japan, Russia, China and other western countries. It serves as a refuge for the critically endangered Philippine crocodile (Crocodylus mindorensis). A total of 197 bird species, 67 of which are endemic or can only be found in the Philippines, have been identified in Agusan Marsh.AMWS also serves as a catch basin of the Agusan-Davao plain, playing a major role in providing protection, ecological balance, livelihood and other amenities to local communities and indigenous peoples.
Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park (TRNP) in Cagayancillo, Palawan is the country’s 4th Wetland of International Importance or “Ramsar Site.” It was included in the Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance on November 12, 1999 along with Agusan Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary in Agusan del Sur and Naujan Lake National Park in Oriental Mindoro. TRNP is a model for coral reef conservation. The Park has one of the highest coral diversity in the world and hosts near pristine coral reefs with at least 359 species of corals (equivalent to about 80% of all coral species in the Philippines), 600 species of fish, seven (7) species of seagrass, 13 species of sharks and two (2) species of marine turtles including the critically endangered Hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata). The two (2) islets in TRNP support at least 38,500 seabirds, among which are the critically endangered Christmas Island frigate bird ( Fregata andrewsi), Chinese egret (Egretta eulophotes), Swinhoe’s storm-petrel ( Oceanodroma monorhis ), Eurasian curlew (Numenius arquata) and Black-tailed godwit ( Limosa limosa). It is also the only known breeding area in the country for the endemic sub-species of Black noddy (Anous minutus).
NOCWCA is a contiguous wetlands area with a coastline of 109.52 kilometers covering 52 coastal barangays within three (3) cities and seven (7) municipalities of Negros Occidental.
It serves as a habitat of globally threatened species, extensive mangroves and mudflats that serve as feeding grounds of thousands of migratory birds. The high biodiversity in the area also supports the livelihood of coastal communities and serves as a major food source for Negros Occidental. Eighty species of birds were recorded in NOCWCA including the globally endangered Great knot (calidris tenuirostris), Far Eastern curlew ( Numenius madagascariensis ) and Nordmann’s greenshank (Tringa guttifer). Other threatened species that are present in the area include the Irrawaddy dolphin ( Orcaella brevirostris ), and three species of marine turtles, the critically endangered Hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata), endangered Green turtle (Chelonia mydas) and Olive ridley turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea).
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The Sasmuan Pampanga Coastal Wetlands (SPCW) is a wetland complex of coastal waters interconnected with mangroves, mudflats, and a river ecosystem that offer a range of ecosystem services at the local and regional levels. The Site fulfills four (4) Ramsar criteria, confirming the international significance of its biodiversity and its services both at the species and ecosystems level.
It’s designation as the Philippines’ latest Ramsar Site is a collaborative effort between the DENR-Biodiversity Management Bureau, DENR Central Luzon Regional Office, PENRO Pampanga, and the Local Government Units of the Municipality of Sasmuan and the Province of Pampanga.
A mangrove islet named as the Sasmuan Bangkung Malapad Critical Habitat Ecotourism Area , lies at the “Heart of SPCW” which serves as a home to a variety of species of mangroves according to a 2017 flora assessment conducted by PENRO Pampanga. Marine animals including a diverse number of fish and crustaceans also thrive in the area.
(Photo Courtesy of Johnrey J. Gracianorey of PENRO Sibugay, DENR9, 2018 )
The Sibugay Wetland Nature Reserve (Site no. 2552 on the “Ramsar List”) is a wetland complex of forested wetlands, intertidal mud and sand flats, coral reefs, and the marine waters of Sibugay Bay. Nine municipalities and 64 villages surround the Site, with 16 river systems draining into the wetland.
Due to its mangrove cover, the Site is a refuge for three species of flying fox, housing the largest colony in the Philippines which includes over 130,000 endangered large flying foxes (Pteropus vampyrus). The coastal areas of the Site serve as feeding and nesting grounds for the critically endangered hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) and the endangered green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) and whale shark (Rhincodon typus). The tidal mudflats of the Site are not only a stopover point for migratory waterbirds but are also rich in shellfish on which local communities depend as a source of food and livelihoods.
(Photo Courtesy of Municipality of Del Carmen Facebook Page)
Del Carmen Mangrove Reserve (DCMR) in Siargao Island Protected Landscape and Seascape (SIPLAS) (Site no. 2553) is a complex of shallow marine waters, sandy shores, intertidal flats and mangroves. The mangroves within the Site span 4,871 hectares, forming the largest contiguous mangrove forest in the Philippines. They facilitate a connection between the intertidal flats and upland forests, enabling birds that rely on both these habitats to move between them.
Of the 245 animal species present in the Site, 20% are endemic to the Philippines, including the vulnerable Philippine duck (Anas luzonica) and Southern rufous hornbill (Buceros mindanensis). The Site also hosts three threatened turtle species.
Over 900 residents and thousands of visitors benefit from fishing, aquaculture, recreation and tourism opportunities and the protection provided by the Site against natural hazards. Local communities in Del Carmen celebrate mangroves and raise funds for their restoration through annual events including the Bakhaw (Mangrove) Festival and the Siargao International Marathon.