AGADIR, MOROCCO - Apayao, a province in the Philippines, has been designated as a biosphere reserve by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). This declaration was made during the 36th session of the International Coordinating Council of the Man and Biosphere Programme (ICC MAB) on Friday, recognizing the province's efforts in sustainable development and biodiversity conservation.
According to Philippines News Agency, the MAB program, established in the early 1970s, seeks to enhance the interaction between people and their environments globally. Biosphere reserves are described by the organization as "places for learning about sustainable development," aimed at balancing the conservation of biodiversity with the sustainable use of natural resources.
In his acceptance speech, shared on the provincial government's Facebook page, Governor Elias Bulut expressed pride in Apayao's inclusion in the UNESCO list, particularly highlighting its more than 395,000 hectares of forest area. "We hope to inspire other potential learning spaces for conservation and sustainable development in the Philippines and around the world," Bulut stated, emphasizing the global responsibility to preserve natural resources and protect endangered species, including the Philippine eagle.
Since 2018, Apayao has pursued the UNESCO inscription to enhance the management of its natural resources, known as Cordillera's last natural frontier, home to the endangered Philippine eagle and a diverse array of flora and fauna. With this new status, Apayao joins the ranks of other Philippine sites like Puerto Galera, Palawan, and Albay as recognized biosphere reserves.
Rebecca Mamba, Apayao's provincial tourism officer, anticipates that the UNESCO designation will boost tourist interest in the region. This declaration not only puts Apayao on the map as a critical site for environmental conservation but also as a center for sustainable development education.
Additionally, UNESCO's recent session added 19 other sites to its global network of protected biosphere reserves, including locations in Algeria, Canada, Ghana, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Iran, Italy, Kazakhstan, Madagascar, Mexico, Morocco, Peru, Portugal, Tanzania, and the United Kingdom.