Scientists refer to the 7,100 islands that make up the Philippines as the “center of the center” of global marine biodiversity. That’s why conservation in the Philippines is such a priority.

READ MORE: Protecting Our Oceans and Seas

There are calls to expand already protected waters and lands. New policies and programs have strengthened the protection of threatened species in critical areas and improved management of watersheds. Forests are under consideration for carbon sequestration, as well as coasts and marine sectors for rehabilitation and conservation. 

Thanks to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s respect for nature and her conviction that economic growth can be enhanced by environmental protection, the Philippines is belatedly earning its conservation stripes.

Proof is evident in efforts Arroyo recently made to expand the country’s protected waters and lands. Among the protected sites is the Peñablanca Protected Landscape and Seascape ballooned to nearly 30 times its original size and now shelters precious remaining forests and watersheds in northern Luzon Island. Oceans and marine life around the Philippines’ Verde Passage, Balabac straits, and Tubbataha reef will receive added government support and benefit from community conservation actions to save unique biological diversity.

Conservation International recognizes this island nation as one of the 34 highest priority terrestrial regions for action on Earth. Ranging from rugged volcanic mountains to rich coral reefs to fertile plains that support rice production, the Philippines claims an astounding diversity of life – about half of these plants and animals are found nowhere else.

But much of that vibrant wildlife is under threat. Hundreds of years ago, rain forests blanketed the country. Today, less than 6 percent of the Philippines’ original forest cover remains intact, and roughly 5 percent of its ocean ecosystems are still pristine. The Philippines is in critical danger of losing some of the world’s most unique flora, fauna, and marine life.