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Travel topics > Natural attractions > National parks > National parks and protected areas of the Philippines

The Philippines has over 240 national parks and protected areas, encompassing about 15% of the country's land area. They are managed by the Philippines' Department of Environment and Natural Resources through its Biodiversity Management Bureau.

Understand

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The Philippine national park and protected area system date back to the American colonial era. The first national parks established were nature reserves in Bataan (Lamao), Laguna (Caliraya), Negros Occidental (La Carlota), Zamboanga, Pampanga (Mount Arayat) and Isabela. Forests were soon included, starting with Mount Makiling. The first formal national park is Mount Arayat National Park in Pampanga, founded in 1932. Further areas were added since the postwar era, and the present system have been outlined in the National Integrated Protected Area System (NIPAS) Act in 1992.

Under NIPAS, protected areas in the Philippines are categorized as: national parks, protected areas, natural monuments, protected landscapes, protected landscapes and seascapes, protected seascapes, game refuges and bird sanctuaries, resource reserves, managed resource protected areas, marine reserves, watershed forest reserves, natural biotic areas, wildlife sanctuaries, and wilderness areas. Our guide rather goes on a simpler approach, dividing things into national parks and protected landscapes, i.e. all those not categorized as national parks.

National parks

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There are 94 designated national parks in the Philippines, the latest additions being in Cagayan Valley. A shaded background indicates a park designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Luzon

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NameLocationImageAreaEstablished
1 Aurora Memorial National Park Aurora Memorial National Park on WikipediaAurora and Nueva Ecija5,676 ha (14,030 acres)
2 Balbasang-Balbalan National Park Balbalasang–Balbalan National Park on WikipediaKalinga1,338 ha (3,310 acres)
Bangan Hill National ParkBayombong, Nueva Vizcaya13.90 ha (34.3 acres)
3 Bataan National Park Bataan National Park on WikipediaBataan23,688 ha (58,530 acres)1945
4 Biak-na-bato National Park Biak-na-Bato National Park on WikipediaSan Miguel, Bulacan854 ha (2,110 acres)
Caramoan National ParkCaramoan, Camarines Sur347 ha (860 acres)
Cassamata Hill National ParkAbra67 ha (170 acres)1972
Fuyot Springs National ParkIlagan, Isabela819 ha (2,020 acres)1938
5 Hundred Islands National Park Hundred Islands National Park on WikipediaAlaminos, Pangasinan1,676 ha (4,140 acres)1940
Libmanan Caves National ParkLibmanan, Camarines Sur19.40 ha (47.9 acres)1934
6 Luneta National Park Rizal Park on WikipediaErmita, Manila58 ha (140 acres)1955
Minalungao National ParkGeneral Tinio, Nueva Ecija2,018 ha (4,990 acres)1967
Mount Arayat National ParkArayat, Pampanga3,715 ha (9,180 acres)1930
Mount Data National ParkBenguet and Mountain Province5,512 ha (13,620 acres)
Mount Iglit-Baco National ParkBaco, Mindoro5,676 ha (14,030 acres)
7 Mount Pulag National ParkBenguet, Ifugao, and Nueva Vizcaya11,150 ha (27,600 acres)
Naujan Lake National ParkNaujan, Mindoro21,655 ha (53,510 acres)
Northern Luzon Heroes Hill National ParkIlocos Sur5,676 ha (14,030 acres)1963
Olongapo Naval Base Perimeter National ParkOlongapo, Zambales9 ha (22 acres)
Pagsanjan Gorge National ParkPagsanjan, Laguna153 ha (380 acres)
Paoay Lake National ParkPaoay, Ilocos Norte340 ha (840 acres)
8 Quezon Memorial Circle National ParkQuezon City23 ha (57 acres)1975

Visayas

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NameLocationImageAreaEstablished
Bulabog Putian National ParkIloilo854 ha (2,110 acres)
Guadalupe Mabugnao Mainit Hot Springs National ParkCarcar, Cebu58 ha (140 acres)
Kuapnit Balinsasayao National ParkTacloban, Leyte364 ha (900 acres)
McArthur Landing Memorial National ParkPalo, Leyte7 ha (17 acres)

Mindanao

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NameLocationImageAreaEstablished
Lake Butig National ParkButig, Lanao del Sur68 ha (170 acres)
Lake Dapao National ParkPualas, Lanao del Sur1,500 ha (3,700 acres)
Mado Hot Spring National ParkDatu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao48 ha (120 acres)
Mount Dajo National ParkJolo Island, Sulu213 ha (530 acres)
Pantuwaraya Lake National ParkMarawi, Lanao del Sur20 ha (49 acres)

Palawan

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NameLocationImageAreaEstablished
Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National ParkPuerto Princesa, Palawan22,202 ha (54,860 acres)

Protected landscapes

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Our list of protected areas include all the other types of nature reserves under NIPAS, from natural parks to wilderness areas.

Natural parks

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There are 25 natural parks as of 2010, the last addition being Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park.

Luzon

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NameLocationImageAreaEstablished
Apo Reef Natural ParkSan Jose, Mindoro15,792 ha (39,020 acres)
Bicol Natural ParkCamarines Norte and Camarines Sur5,201 ha (12,850 acres)
Bongsanglay Natural ParkBatuan, Masbate48 ha (120 acres)
Bulusan Natural ParkSorsogon244 ha (600 acres)
Kalbario-Patapat Natural ParkIlocos Norte3,800 ha (9,400 acres)2007
Mayon Volcano Natural ParkAlbay5,776 ha (14,270 acres)2000
Mount Isarog National ParkCamarines Sur10,112 ha (24,990 acres)
North Sierra Madre Natural ParkIsabela359,486 ha (888,310 acres)

Natural monuments

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There are 4 designated natural monuments, which are mostly small features which are protected for their special character.

Protected landscapes

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Luzon

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NameLocationImageAreaEstablished
Amro River Protected LandscapeCasiguran, Aurora6,471 ha (15,990 acres)2000
Bigbiga Protected LandscapeNarvacan, Ilocos Sur136 ha (340 acres)2000
Buenavista Protected LandscapeBuenavista, Quezon284 ha (700 acres)2000
Casecnan Protected LandscapeAurora, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya88,846 ha (219,540 acres)
Dinadiawan River Protected LandscapeDipaculao, Aurora244 ha (600 acres)2000
Hinulugang Taktak Protected LandscapeAntipolo, Rizal3,800 ha (9,400 acres)2000
Libunao Protected LandscapeIlocos Sur47 ha (120 acres)2000
Lidlidda Protected LandscapeIlocos Sur1,157 ha (2,860 acres)2000
Magapit Protected LandscapeLal-lo, Cagayan3,404 ha (8,410 acres)2000
Manleluag Spring Protected LandscapeMangatarem, Pangasinan1,935 ha (4,780 acres)2004
Maulawin Spring Protected LandscapeGuinayangan, Quezon149 ha (370 acres)2000
Mount Banahaw-San Cristobal Protected LandscapeLaguna and Quezon10,901 ha (26,940 acres)2000
Mount Palay-Palay–Mataas-na-Gulod Protected LandscapeCavite and Batangas3,973 ha (9,820 acres)2007
Pamitinan Protected LandscapeRodriguez, Rizal600 ha (1,500 acres)1996
Quezon Protected LandscapeQuezon938 ha (2,320 acres)2003
Quirino Protected LandscapeQuirino164,364 ha (406,150 acres)2005
Roosevelt Protected LandscapeBataan786 ha (1,940 acres)2000
Santa Lucia Protected LandscapeIlocos Sur174 ha (430 acres)2000
Simbahan-Talagas Protected LandscapeDinalungan, Aurora2,267 ha (5,600 acres)2000
Taal Volcano Protected LandscapeBatangas62,292 ha (153,930 acres)1996

Stay safe

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Respect

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