Mount Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary

The MHRWS has experienced periods of strong stakeholder participation, however engagement has diminished over time. Nonetheless, it holds the potential for revival and renewed collaboration (Cereno and Roxas, 2025).
Impressive levels of local community and NGO involvement were evident in the World Heritage site, most notably in the Municipality of San Isidro (IUCN, 2014). The protection of the MHRWS was further strengthened by engagement with and involvement of local and indigenous communities living in its periphery. Their lifestyles and spiritual beliefs are based on respect for the environment and its biodiversity and they have, over time, subtly molded their way of life to ensure the sustainable use of their resources. Local managers continue efforts to work collaboratively with local communities and indigenous peoples on the management of the World Heritage site and to ensure the equitable access and sharing of benefits, including those that may accrue from tourism (World Heritage Committee, 2014). The Philippine National Commission for Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) continues to resolve any outstanding land claims, while Province of Davao Oriental continues actively engaging the communities of indigenous peoples in villages located in Mati City and the Municipality of Governor Generoso. The indigenous communities recognize that the inscription of the MHRWS contributes to the protection of the mountain (State Party of the Philippines, 2012). Nevertheless, various reasons impede people’s participation in the overall protection and conservation. One of the main reasons is the socio-economic reliance on natural resources within the forest. The need for providing alternative livelihoods is evident (Celeste, 2021). The lack of community participation also contributes to the non-effective monitoring and problems with the protection of the forest in general. This is because not all community members attend meetings, lectures, and fora relating to their forest protection and management (Celeste, 2021). Furthermore, challenges remain in clarifying property rights including inactive POs, expired community/based forest management agreements, and the lack of tenured migrant representation in the protected area management board, PAMB (Cereno and Roxas, 2025). The MHRWS-PAMB faces significant challenges regarding stakeholder representation, specifically the lack of Indigenous Peoples representation and the limited participation of tenured farmers. The PAMB has lacked an Indigenous Peoples representative for a year due to pending municipal resolutions from LGUs. This absence means Indigenous Peoples have no voice in decision-making (Cereno and Roxas, 2025).

The MHRWS is protected through several protected area regulations and is a component of the Philippines’ National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS). Several layers of national and provincial legislation and policies serve to protect the World Heritage site and guide management. Apart from delineating the boundaries of the site, these laws prohibit incompatible activities such as logging, mining, exploration or surveying for energy resources inside the site. Responsibility for enforcement is shared by both the national and local government agencies in partnership with other stakeholders (World Heritage Committee, 2014). Progress has been made towards legislation, which would deem mining illegal within the site and its buffer zone. The Regional Development Council of the National Economic Development Authority of Region XI has been coordinating with the legislative branch of the national government to facilitate the law-making process while the PAMB is administering the compliance of requirements as prescribed by the law. The full legislation of the site will ultimately secure it from any prospective mining claims, even in the buffer zone (IUCN Consultation, 2020a).

The World Heritage site straddles two municipalities and one city: San Isidro Municipality, Governor Generoso Municipality and the City of Mati, in the Province of Davao Oriental (World Heritage Committee, 2014). MHRWS is a component of the Philippines’ National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS).
The property is split into two zones: i) the Strict Protection Zone, where human activity is limited to scientific studies and visitors are under the strict guidance of rangers; and ii) a Buffer Zone, which surrounds the Strict Protection Zone and where restrictions are not so stringent. The Mount Hamiguitan Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) oversees protection and management of the property according to the approved Management Plan.
The PAMB consists of six members: Regional Executive Director, Governor and provincial planning officer of Davao Oriental, the Mayors of the three municipalities, Barangay Captains of village centres in the property and tribal chieftains of indigenous peoples. The Protected Area Superintendent’s Office (PASO) is composed of a technical and administrative team, which provide a predominantly managerial role and a team of support staff, who function as wardens, and patrols staff.
The PASO implements the activities set down in the plan as well as the policies and directives issued by the PAMB. Together with the “Bantay Gubat” personnel from the three municipalities with territorial jurisdiction over the property, the PASO conducts regular monitoring and patrol activities over the core and buffer zones.

The World Heritage site straddles two municipalities and one city: San Isidro Municipality, Governor Generoso Municipality and the City of Mati, in the Province of Davao Oriental (World Heritage Committee, 2014). MHRWS is a component of the Philippines’ National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS). The laws defining and affecting the site provide for a complementary and generally harmonized level of protection of the site. The laws control development within the boundaries of the site and are consistent in their objectives to protect the site's key values. Agro-forestry operations intersperse with remnants of the natural forests within the buffer zone and are covered by Community-Based Forestry Management Agreements (CBFMA) and Certificate of Stewardship Contracts (CSC) (IUCN, 2014; World Heritage Committee, 2014).

The World Heritage site totals an area of 16,923 ha with a buffer zone of 9,729 ha. The boundaries of the site are delineated under legal instruments ensuring protection and management of the site and preventing physical interventions, such as logging, mining exploration or surveying for energy resources. Enforcement responsibilities are shared between national and local governments in partnership with local stakeholders including local and indigenous communities living in the periphery of the Mount Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary (MHRWS) (IUCN, 2014; World Heritage Committee, 2014). While the boundaries of the site largely follow those of the MHRWS, given its relatively small size, it will be important to ensure that other areas with adequate protection exist beyond the site in order to ensure effective conservation of those species with large range, particularly the Philippine Eagle (IUCN Consultation, 2020a).

The property is particularly important for several high profile species of conservation concern, notably the Philippine eagle and Philippine cockatoo. The presence of these species, in addition to several others, has led the area to be classed as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International.

The State Party has been very responsive in addressing Committee decisions, specifically related to the 2013 referral recommendation. The Committee commended the State Party and stakeholders for the efficient and effective action to address concerns related to integrity, protection and management (World Heritage Committee, 2014). There have been no direct decisions for the property since then but there is no indication that the State Party would not remain very responsive.

Management authorities have implemented a monitoring and research programme to anticipate climate change effects on the biota and to try to mitigate consequent impacts. Ongoing monitoring of threatened and rare plant and animal species was being carried out on an annual basis (State Party of the Philippines, 2014; World Heritage Committee, 2014). The MHRWS Monitoring & Assessment Programme for Climate Change Adaptation aims to better understand the impacts of climate change on the site’s ecological processes, species and abiotic elements. It represents a well-developed, science based strategy to combat the potentially unknown impacts of climate variability and recognizes the potential for climate change impact on the vertical zonation of the site’s vegetation communities. It also attempts to factor in anticipated impacts from visitation (World Heritage Committee, 2014). However, the level to which the findings of this work are being integrated into management decisions is unclear.

The World Heritage site consists of land classified as timberland under Land Classification Map Nos. 2660 and 2687 and as such belongs to the state. It is managed by a number of Government agencies including national Government agencies, Provincial level agencies and local community organizations with DENR assigned as its administrator (IUCN, 2014). The Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) oversees protection and management of the site according to the management plan, which was renewed in 2020 (IUCN Consultation, 2020a) and is due for renewal in 2024, although no updated plan could be identified.
In 2018, the PAMB carried out a Management Effectiveness Assessment (METT) for the site. The assessment found the management to be 75% effective, which represented a 7% increase from the 2014 assessment, which was carried out at around the same time as its inscription on the World Heritage list. According to the assessment, staffing (permanent staff and capacity development), communication, education and public awareness (CEPA), infrastructure/ facilities, sustainable financing, participatory and comprehensive management planning and decision-making, and research studies that contribute to decision-making were areas of potential improvement (IUCN Consultation, 2020a). It was also noted that threats related to agriculture and utilization of non-timber forest products must be addressed by the management (IUCN Consultation, 2020a).

Law enforcement is carried out primarily by the Protected Area Management Office (PAMO), with the support of The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) through its Community Environment and Natural Resources Offices and Local Government. Law enforcement activities include patrolling and monitoring inside the World Heritage site by Bantay Gubat and Park Rangers using smartphone technology to track instances of breaches. The DENR and the PAMO have been effecting paralegal training for the Bantay Gubat or Park Ranger and other volunteers to capacitate them on law enforcement activities. Camera traps installed by PAMO at strategic locations in the park also detect human activity inside the boundaries to monitor any potential breaches of law or park protocol. However, there is little data to confirm the efficacy of these measures and there are reports of limited staff, support and capacity to implement and fully realize the programs outlined in the management plan (IUCN Consultation, 2020b). Overall, although policies are good, the problem boils down to the lack of human capacities which is perceived to hinder the successful monitoring of unlawful activities in the area (Celeste, 2021).

Despite recent increases in staffing and resources and an obvious commitment from Provincial authorities to the management of the site's staffing levels, resources and capacity remain low. At the time of the field evaluation 583,000 USD p.a. was being spent on management with funding coming from a combination of sources including the national government and the Provincial governments of Davao Oriental and the three municipalities of MHRWS (IUCN, 2014). Recently, tourism has been opened up within the site to provide an additional source of income for the park management, however the level of additional resources provided as compared to the increasing need for management that comes with visitation is unclear. Other avenues for generating income including payments for ecosystem services, an adopt-a-wildlife species project, and public-private partnership, among others have also been investigated (IUCN Consultation, 2020a). However, there is no evidence that these have been implemented to date. Recent studies indicate that the MHRWS continues to face challenges due to a decline in its budget, impacting its ability to manage and conserve the protected area effectively (Cereno and Roxas, 2025). LGU funding is currently limited to allocations from Mati, while requests for financing from Governor Generoso and San Isidro remain pending. This is possibly due to shifting priorities under new leadership, and frequent leadership changes. International donor support has also waned, with only UNESCO granting ₱2million to DOrSU for extension projects and the ASEAN Heritage Parks providing funds through DENR-BMB for protected areas, including MHRWS. However, key informants are unaware of the specific details regarding the allocation or basis for MHRWS funding from this source. This lack of transparency regarding funding may lead to trust issues and hinder the implementation of conservation initiatives (Cereno and Roxas, 2025).

Staff of the protected area have undergone numerous training and development courses since the inscription of the site across a wide range of issues related to the management of the site (IUCN Consultation, 2020a). However, staff capacity was also assessed in the most recent management effectiveness assessment and identified as an area for improvement (IUCN Consultation, 2020a). Staff capacity is an essential component of site protection and management. Although a couple of personnel are currently conducting monitoring and patrolling activities in the site, measured impact/effectiveness of patrolling in terms of overall management remains unknown. Programs outlined in the management plan of the site are well crafted, however, with limited staff, support and capacity, its implementation cannot be fully realized (IUCN Consultation, 2020b). Bantay Gubat do not have a sustainable income from their work as forest guards (Celeste, 2021) and evidence points to only 2 Bantay Gubat enforcers assigned to patrol a 5000-hectare forest. Some of these areas that are unprotected are said to be the den of unlawful activities like illegal logging and hunting of animals (Celeste, 2021).

As visitation to the World Heritage site is strictly controlled, with the number of visitors limited, interpretation and education is carried out mainly through the Mt. Hamiguitan World Heritage Park, established by the Provincial Government of Davao Oriental in the Municipality of San Isidro. The park serves as an interpretation site for MHRWS and handles the majority of visitors of Mount Hamiguitan for a day tour learning activity. The Protected Area Management Office, in collaboration with the Local Government Units, Academic Institutions and Non-Government Organizations, have been regularly implementing Communication, Education and Public Awareness (CEPA) campaign programs in MHRWS. To this end, a CEPA Plan was due to be formulated in order to formally integrate education and interpretation into the overall management of the site (IUCN Consultation, 2020a). It is unclear if this plan was completed and whether it is currently being implemented.

Tourism and visitation to the World Heritage site had increased in the past few years, having been previously closed to public visitation pending completion of a trail management plan. The current level of visitation, post the COVID-19 pandemic is unclear and visitation may not have rebounded to the same levels as prior to the pandemic.
The “Guidelines for Trekking, Mountaineering and Other Activities in MHRWS” was formulated, and visitation is now permitted within the site, although strictly following the protocols set out in the guidelines. The Guidelines set out the regulations in order to maintain the integrity of the site whilst providing opportunities for the local communities to sustainably earn and continue to steward the MHRWS simultaneously. A Tourism Management plan was also developed to plan for the threat of potential for increasing pressure for access and higher numbers of park visitors since the inscription of the site on the World Heritage list (World Heritage Committee, 2014). Overall, tourism planning is comprehensive and strategic, adopting a market based approach to addressing potential visitor demand. Measures are outlined to ensure the protection of the site’s Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) in the face of rising tourism use (IUCN, 2014).

The lifestyles and spiritual beliefs of the local and indigenous peoples are based on a healthy respect for the environment and its biodiversity. They have been modified over time to ensure the sustainable use of their resources (State Party of the Philippines, 2014). Some illegal resource use is occurring, however, there appears to be a generally sound collaborative arrangement in place between the authorities and local communities including indigenous groups.

Management authorities have implemented a monitoring and research programme to anticipate climate change effects on the biota and to try to mitigate consequent impacts. Ongoing monitoring of threatened and rare plant and animal species was being carried out on an annual basis (State Party of the Philippines, 2014; World Heritage Committee, 2014). The MHRWS Monitoring & Assessment Programme for Climate Change Adaptation aims to better understand the impacts of climate change on the site’s ecological processes, species and abiotic elements. It represents a well-developed, science based strategy to combat the potentially unknown impacts of climate variability and recognizes the potential for climate change impact on the vertical zonation of the site’s vegetation communities. It also attempts to factor in anticipated impacts from visitation (World Heritage Committee, 2014). However, the level to which the findings of this work are being integrated into management decisions is unclear and there remains limited information on trends of important populations found within the site.
There is a high level of academic interest in the biodiversity contained within the site, as evidenced by recent inventory publications such as Amoroso et al., 2018; Buenavente, 2017; Supsup et al., 2017 and Vidal et al., 2018, however, it is unclear the extent to which this data is integrated into the monitoring activities of the management agencies.

Research projects and studies, particularly on biodiversity assessment and conservation of endangered, endemic and economically important flora and fauna have been undertaken prior to inscription. Local NGOs such as the Philippine Eagle Foundation have been carrying out research work in cooperation with other academic institutions and Government agencies (Bueser et al., 2001; IUCN, 2014; State Party of the Philippines, 2014). There is also ongoing research related the biodiversity values for which the site is listed, including inventories of a number of different taxa found in the site (Amoroso et al., 2018; Amoroso et al., 2019; Buenavente, 2017; Supsup et al., 2017; Vidal et al., 2018; Rosales et al., 2023).

The protection of the MHRWS is strengthened by the engagement with and involvement of local and indigenous communities living in its periphery (World Heritage Committee, 2014). The World Heritage site is managed through good cooperative arrangements, which should ensure outside threats do not impinge upon its Outstanding Universal Value (OUV). This collaborative approach has initiated protection and preservation measures and has to date, for example, declined proposals for mining in areas neighboring the site (IUCN, 2014). The work carried out to expand protective legislature against threats from mining in the periphery of the site (IUCN Consultation, 2020a) is also likely to enhance the conservation of the site's OUV in the long term. The lifting of martial law, in place on Mindanao between May 23, 2017 and 31 December, 2019, could have had potential impacts on the OUV of the site, however the precise implications of this remain unclear as does any increase in visitation post the COVID-19 pandemic related travel restrictionsandlikely reduction in visitation.

As with threats experienced outside the site, the protection of the MHRWS is strengthened by the engagement with and involvement of local and indigenous communities living in its periphery (World Heritage Committee, 2014). Cooperative arrangements, which support efforts to address threats from outside helps to limit impacts within the site as well, as the threats are largely linked. This collaborative approach has to date, for example, declined proposals for mining in areas neighboring the site (IUCN, 2014), which would increase the overall pressure on the site. The expansion of protective legislature against threats from mining in the periphery of the site (IUCN Consultation, 2020a) is also likely to enhance the conservation of the site's OUV in the long term. Management practices are largely effective although threatened by limited budget and resources.
Staffing and funding for the site remain an issue of some concern. This is especially significant in light of the policy to allow increased visitation within the boundaries of the site. The updated Protected Area Management Plan of MHRWS will need to ensure the integration or mainstreaming and harmonization of all plans and programs of the local government units and other agencies with those of the World Heritage site.