22/05/2026
๐๐๐ฃ๐ฃ๐ฌ ๐๐ก๐ง๐๐ฅ๐ก๐๐ง๐๐ข๐ก๐๐ ๐๐๐ฌ ๐๐ข๐ฅ ๐๐๐ข๐๐ข๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ฅ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ฌ ๐ธ๐๐๐ง๐ชธ๐๏ธ
In commemoration of the adoption of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) on May 22, 1992, this yearโs International Day for Biological Diversity campaign emphasizes the importance and impact of local actions in achieving global ambitions. With the theme: โ๐๐ค๐ต๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ญ๐ฐ๐ค๐ข๐ญ๐ญ๐บ ๐ง๐ฐ๐ณ ๐จ๐ญ๐ฐ๐ฃ๐ข๐ญ ๐ช๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ข๐ค๐ตโ, everyone from all walks of lifeโgovernments, businesses, students, indigenous people, and local communitiesโis encouraged to take part as essential contributors in the progress of the campaignโs 2050 Vision of Living in Harmony with Nature.
Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999, the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park is a biodiversity hotspot in Palawan as it satisfies two primary Outstanding Universal Value criteria, such as possessing an excellent natural beauty and a globally significant habitat for biodiversity conservation. From its magnificent rock formations to the variety of endemic species living in the park, everything definitely leaves bare eyes in awe.
Comprising 22,202 hectares and covering the barangays of Tagabinet, Cabayugan, Marufinas, and New Panggangan, the Park encompasses a full mountain-to-sea ecosystem that safeguards significant forest areas within Palawan. ๐๐บ๐ผ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ญ๐ฏ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ ๐๐๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐๐ป๐ฑ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐น ๐๐๐ถ๐ฎ, ๐ฒ๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ฃ๐ฃ๐ฆ๐ฅ๐ก๐ฃ, namely: beach forest, mangrove forest, freshwater swamp forest, riverine forest, lowland evergreen forest, forest over limestone soil, forest over ultramafic soil, and montane forest.
Aside from being a natural habitat, the Park also extends across ๐๐ต๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ผ๐บ๐ฎ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐น๐ฎ๐ถ๐บ๐ (๐๐๐๐) ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ด๐ป๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ป๐ฑ๐ถ๐ด๐ฒ๐ป๐ผ๐๐ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ๐บ๐๐ป๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ฒ๐, including the Tagbanua and Batak tribes, as well as the Diwans or lowlanders. These communities rely heavily on agriculture and tourism for their livelihood. Most of the park personnel are local residents from nearby communities, and the continued growth of tourism not only benefits them, but also supports both small and large businesses operating within and beyond the park. However, these groups are not merely beneficiariesโthey also serve as eco-guardians, protecting the park through their collective efforts.
Moreover, the ๐๐ผ๐บ๐บ๐๐ป๐ถ๐๐-๐๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฆ๐๐๐๐ฎ๐ถ๐ป๐ฎ๐ฏ๐น๐ฒ ๐ง๐ผ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐บ (๐๐๐ฆ๐ง) initiatives within PPSRNP continue to strengthen the Parkโs sustainable economic development. These include Sabang Mangrove; Jungle Trail; Isla Filomena; Sabang Pyamaluguan Waterfalls; Sabang X Zipline; and Sabang Sea Ferry Multipurpose Cooperative. Instead of large corporations, local residents were entrusted with the operation and management of these tourism projects and this initiative not only empowers the local economy, but also supports the livelihood of the local residents.
For years, as one of the most visited tourist destinations in the world, PPSRNP has remained steadfast in its goal not only to bring joy and satisfaction to visitors, but also to embody inclusive management of the parkโs ecosystem. From international tourists to local guests, everyone is encouraged to leave the park better than they found it. The diverse flora and fauna, magnificent cave systems, and mineral formations within PPSRNP are so pristine that they are meant to be admired with the eyes, not touched with the hands. This reflects the Parkโs daily reminder: โ๐๐ข๐ณ๐ณ๐บ ๐ฏ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฉ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ฃ๐ถ๐ต ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ณ๐ช๐ฆ๐ด, ๐ญ๐ฆ๐ข๐ท๐ฆ ๐ฏ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฉ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ฃ๐ถ๐ต ๐ง๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฑ๐ณ๐ช๐ฏ๐ต๐ด.โ
The well-being of PPSRNP does not solely rely on the efforts of the central management, NGOs, Indigenous Peoples, LGUs, and local residents. International and local visitors are likewise essential contributors to the success of conservation efforts.
This begins with compliance with park regulations such as: โNo Smoking/No Vaping,โ โNo Single-Use Plastics,โ โClean As You Go,โ โNo Touching or Feeding of Monkeys,โ โNo Swimming,โ and โNo Food or Drinks.โ These may seem simple, but violating such rules can harm the parkโs delicate ecosystem. Everyone who sets foot in the park carries the responsibility of preserving it in the same condition, or even better, for future generations.
With all these efforts, the continued commitment of the Parkโs management, stakeholders, local communities, and Indigenous Peoples to strengthen the implementation of conservation measures gradually stabilizes human-wildlife interactions and promotes responsible behavior within the Park. From active stewardship to higher compliance with park regulations, these initiatives mean a great deal for both present and future generations who deserve to witness something as spectacular as PPSRNP.
In addition, the Puerto Princesa Underground River, the Puerto Princesaโs premier destination, observes an annual activity called โ๐๐๐ฉ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ง ๐๐๐จ๐ฉโ during the first three days of July, wherein no tours are conducted. This allows the river a moment of solitude, free from even the slightest human interference.
Through its continuous commitment to upholding ecological integrity and sustainable ecosystem management, Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park joins the International Day for Biological Diversity Campaign. From local to global, collective small actions create the biggest impact. Let us act, connect, and share. There is no single way to help reverse biodiversity lossโit can take countless shapes and forms, fostering wider local efforts that can reach far beyond communities and borders.
