TACLOBAN CITY — Leaders of the three Samar Island provinces have joined forces to push for the inclusion of the Samar Island Natural Park (SINP), the country’s largest terrestrial protected area, on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
The campaign was disclosed by 4Ps Party-list and House Minority Floor Leader Marcelino Libanan, a former representative of Eastern Samar, following a high-level meeting with Environment Secretary Juan Miguel Cuna at the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) central office on July 15.
Libanan was joined in the meeting by Samar Gov. Sharee Ann Tan, Samar representatives Stephen James Tan and Michael Reynolds Tan, and Eastern Samar Rep. Christopher Sheen Gonzales.
The meeting underscored the growing support for the park’s bid for global recognition and the need for a coordinated effort among national government agencies, local governments, and other stakeholders.
“Granting UNESCO World Heritage status to the SINP will undoubtedly be a massive honor for Samar Island, the entire Eastern Visayas region, and the whole Filipino nation,” Libanan said.
He said the designation would recognize the extraordinary natural resources and global importance of one of the Philippines’ largest and richest remaining forest areas.
“We believe that through the strong collaboration of the national government, local governments, and other partners, we will achieve our goal of including the Samar Island Natural Park in the prestigious list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites,” Libanan said.
Covering about 300,000 hectares across Eastern Samar, Northern Samar, and Samar provinces, the SINP is the largest contiguous tract of old-growth forest remaining in the Philippines.
The protected area is home to rich biodiversity and numerous endemic species, including critically endangered wildlife such as the Philippine eagle and the Philippine tarsier.
The park also protects important watersheds and river systems and contains notable geological formations, including the karst landscapes of the Sohoton Caves and Natural Bridge in Basey, Samar.
The Philippine government placed the SINP on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List in 2018, a preliminary step in the process of seeking full World Heritage Site designation.
If successful, the bid would add the Samar Island Natural Park to the Philippines’ list of UNESCO-recognized natural heritage sites, which currently includes the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park and the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park in Palawan, and the Mount Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary in Davao Oriental.
Libanan said the proposed designation would not only bring international recognition to Samar Island but also help strengthen long-term efforts to protect and sustainably manage its forests, wildlife, watersheds, and other natural resources.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)
