CAMIGUIN will no longer be known only as the land of sweet lanzones and holy pilgrimage during the Lenten Season but also as the latest heritage site to be declared in the Southeast Asian region.
The Timpoong and Hibok-hibok mountains will be the eighth protected area in the country bestowed by the Asean Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) as an Asean Heritage Park.
Now officially known as the Mt. Timpoong-Hibok-hibok Natural Monument (MTHNM), the heritage site is a watershed for the whole island and the source of water for domestic and agricultural uses.
MTHNM is another addition to the long list of Asean Heritage Parks (AHPs) in the Philippines as other sites had already been included among Southeast Asia’s naturally preserved areas, said lawyer Roberto Oliva, ACB executive director.
ACB, an intergovernmental organization that facilitates the cooperation and coordination among the 10-Asean member states in conserving the rich biodiversity of the region, serves as the secretariat of the AHP program.
Other AHPs in the country include Mt. Apo Natural Park, Mt. Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary, Mts. Iglit-Baco National Park, Mt. Kitanglad Range Natural Park, Mt. Makiling Forest Reserve, Mt. Malindang Range Natural Park, and Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park.
During the formal launch on Wednesday, Camiguin Rep. Xavier Jesus Romualdo said the size of Camiguin is not suitable for the establishment of industries but what it can offer is the enhancement of its eco-tourism sector.
Oliva echoed Romualdo’s pronouncement saying, “the majestic MTHNM has a high ecotourism potential. One can go trekking or simply enjoy the relaxing view of the mountains. It is also an ideal site for scientific studies and research.”
Most of Camiguin’s attractions are its beach resorts, natural springs, and other landmarks, and the holding of the annual Lanzones Festival every October and the “Panaad,” a pilgrimage of devotees who make a sacrificial walk around the island on Holy Week.
Provincial environment and natural resources office (Penro) chief Merlyn Dumalahay, in an interview, said with the declaration of the MTHNM it will offer them the chance to request for more funding from the national government to improve the facilities of the heritage sites to give visitors a truly unique experience.
With a total land area of 3,739 hectares, MTHNM is comprised of two mountains, Mt. Timpoong and Mt. Hibok-hibok, an active volcano, with five major habitats, namely, grassland, upland wetland, mossy forest, dipterocarp forest, and a crater lake.
The presence of these various habitat types resulted in the natural monument’s high level of endemism and species variety, said ACB. Some of these species are hawk owl, the Philippine hanging parakeet, Camiguin forest mouse, Camiguin forest rate, among many others.
The benefit of protected areas that have been declared as AHPs comes in the form of capacity-building activities for park managers and stakeholders through various learning events.
Being an AHP also increases the visibility of protected areas as ecotourism destinations and models for effective protected area management through the enhancement of the Communication, Education, and Public Awareness program by ACB.