14/06/2026
๐๐ฑ Another milestone for the Philippines this ๐ช๐ผ๐ฟ๐น๐ฑ ๐๐ป๐๐ถ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ป๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ต!
The Philippines now proudly hosts five (5) UNESCO Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Reserves with the inclusion of the ๐ ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐ ๐ป๐ฎ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฎ๐ป ๐ป๐ด ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐น๐ฎ๐๐ฎ๐ป ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐๐ฝ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ฒ in Occidental Mindoro on 06 June 2026.
The Matibay na Bayan ng Sablayan Biosphere Reserve was among the 14 new conservation sites worldwide approved by the UN agencyโs International Coordinating Council of the Man and the Biosphere Programme during its 38th Session in Hernandarias, Paraguay.
The Municipality of Sablayan is home to two (2) of the country's most significant protected areas, both designated as ASEAN Heritage Parks (AHPs): ๐๐ฑ๐ฐ ๐๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ง ๐๐ข๐ต๐ถ๐ณ๐ข๐ญ ๐๐ข๐ณ๐ฌ and ๐๐ต๐ด. ๐๐จ๐ญ๐ช๐ต-๐๐ข๐ค๐ฐ ๐๐ข๐ต๐ถ๐ณ๐ข๐ญ ๐๐ข๐ณ๐ฌ. It also supports various local conservation areas including seven (7) critical watersheds, ten (10) locally declared Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), mangrove areas, five (5) rivers, five (5) waterfalls and eight (8) lakes including Marabong Lake, officially declared a Lake Conservation Area, which all forms part of the core areas of the Biosphere Reserve.
This recognition highlights Sablayan's invaluable contribution to biodiversity conservation and sustainable development.
Congratulations to the Municipal Government of Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro, and all partners who made this achievement possible! ๐ฟ๐