THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Davao Region (DENR-Davao) is confident about the Mt. Apo National Park’s (MANP) bid to be included in the Unesco (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) list of Global Geoparks or Geological Parks.
Clint Michael B. Cleofe, Protected Area Superintendent (PASu) of MANP, said that they are already in their second year of preparation for the area to be included in the Unesco list and hope that the application will be successful this time around, to make Mt. Apo the second place in the Philippines to be included in the list, after Bohol.
It can be recalled that in 2009, Mt. Apo was put forward for Unesco World Heritage status; however, due to escalating environmental degradation, such as illegal logging, wildlife poaching, and rapid urban and agricultural expansion, Unesco officially withdrew the property from its tentative list in 2015.
“We are always on the positive side nga naghandom gyud mi nga positibo ang mamahimong outcome karon sa evaluation nga mahimong successful ang evaluation and we hope nga ang atoang score sufficient enough nga mahilakip kita isip as a Unesco Global Geopark,” he said in a media interview on July 10, 2026, in Barangay Kapatagan in Digos City.
(We are always optimistic and sincerely hopeful that the outcome of today's evaluation will be positive. We hope the evaluation will be successful and that our score will be sufficient for us to be included and recognized as a Unesco Global Geopark.)
Cleofe shared that they were able to submit MANP’s application for inclusion in the list in 2025, and it was evaluated by Unesco. With the right nomination, the office expects that from August 16 to 21, in time for the Kadayawan Festival, the evaluators will arrive in the area.
There will be two evaluators: one senior evaluator from France and one junior evaluator from China. They will evaluate how MANP is operated as a Unesco Global Geopark aspirant and how it is being cared for in coordination with the Indigenous Communities (ICs) living in the protected area.
Cleofe shared that during the evaluation, there will be stakeholders of MANP, including local officials from Davao City, Davao del Sur, and Cotabato. They will then visit MANP to see the parts that are considered to be of volcanic origin.
He said that apart from the natural wonders of MANP, the evaluators will look into the participation, lives, customs, and how vital the mountain is in the everyday lives of the IPs living in the area. He said that Unesco puts importance on Mt. Apo as a sacred place for the Indigenous Peoples (IPs).
Cleofe admitted that there is also a possibility that the proclamation of the area as a Unesco Global Geopark will be delayed or deferred if there are still activities and processes that DENR-Davao has not yet implemented.
However, he said that if MANP is able to secure this bid, it will be a huge source of pride not only for Mt. Apo but also for all Dabawenyos.
LGU’s support
As MANP aims to be included in the Unesco Global Geopark list, local government units (LGUs) in its surrounding areas have expressed their support, with the City Government of Davao passing City Ordinance No. 0472-24, which declares Mt. Apo a geological monument and supports MANP's bid to be included in the list.
Similarly, the Municipality of Sta. Cruz has expressed its support for the measure, citing how Mt. Apo has been a major geological feature in the municipality since the boulder face is located there. Several municipalities and cities have also expressed their support for the initiative.
Meanwhile, under Republic Act No. 9237, otherwise known as the Mount Apo Natural Park Act, the protected area of Mt. Apo spans the following LGUs: Davao City, Digos City, Kidapawan City, and the municipalities of Sta. Cruz, Bansalan, Makilala, and Magpet.
These LGUs are mandated to participate in area management, integrate development plans, and assist in the implementation of programs in MANP through the Protected Area Management Board (PAMB).
Unesco Global Geopark
According to Unesco, a Global Geopark is a single, unified geographical area where sites and landscapes of international geological significance are managed through a holistic approach to protection, education, and sustainable development.
As of 2026, the list has 241 sites in 51 countries, including Hong Kong Global Geopark in China, Mount Rinjani in Indonesia, Aso Geopark in Japan, and Vulkaneifel in Germany.
In the Philippines, only Bohol has been included in the Unesco Global Geopark list for its unique karst formations, particularly the internationally renowned Chocolate Hills. If successful in its bid, Mt. Apo will be the second place in the country to be included in the list.
MANP was declared a protected area under the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) Act, or Republic Act No. 7586, enacted and approved on June 1, 1992, by former President Corazon C. Aquino.
The area has 800 types of flora. Of that number, 27 floral species have economic, cultural, and medicinal significance. As for fauna, there are about 272 types of birds and 54 species of mammals, including the national bird, the Philippine Eagle.
There are about 414 faunal species, of which 207 are endemic to MANP, while 146 faunal species and 27 floral species have economic and medicinal significance. RGP
