[ Manila Bulletin Online ] October 30, 2008
By BEN D. ARCHE
DAVAO CITY — Two parks in Mindanao – Mount Apo and Mount Hamiguitan, were recently nominated for inclusion to the highly prestigious World Heritage List of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Davao Oriental tourism officer Cynthia Rodriguez said Gov. Corazon Malanyaon has been exerting efforts for Mount Hamiiguitan Range and Wildlife Sanctuary to be included in the list.
Backed up by environment groups and local officials in Davao Oriental province, Governor Malanyaon asked the UNESCO Philippine office to include Mount Hamiguitan in the World Heritage List to boost their environment conservation drive and to put Davao Oriental in the world eco-tourism map.
As this came, Ambassador Preciosa Soliven, secretary general of the UNESCO Philippines, sent a team of experts to Mount Hamiguitan to evaluate the outstanding universal value of the site.
In an official statement, the UNESCO Philippines concluded that Mount Hamiguitan and Mount Apo – the country’s highest peak, are part of the Sanctuaries of Endemism in Southern Mindanao.
It was gathered that the two prime sites placed the Philippines on seventh rank among the 17 biological rich countries of the world.
The Mount Apo and Mount Hamiguitan are declared protected areas under Republic Act 9237 and Republic Act 9302.
Governor Malanyaon said that the Protected Area Management Board and the Protected Area Wildlife Bureau of the Department of the Environment and Natural Resources managed the two sites.
On the other hand, UNESCO Philippines said the nominated areas represent the fast disappearing habitats of globally important species of plants and animals.
Mount Apo is a Pliocene-Quaternary volcanic terrain that provides opportunity for diversity of habitats and plant and animal species, while Mount Hamiguitan is an ultramafic terrain giving rise to ultramafic forest and associated diverse habitats and flora and fauna, the UNESCO said.
Mount Hamiguitan is also one of the habitats of the endemic but endangered Philippine eagle whose remaining population is believed to be only around 500.
Earlier, aviator Charles Lindbergh of the World Wildlife Fund described the Philippine eagle as the noblest flyer.
