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and entry of boat to the island at Carrying Capacity Limit.
twenty (20) utmost per day. Boat
operators are likewise expected Tourists visiting the
to strictly use designated docking Cuatro Islas Protected Landscape
areas and mooring zones to and Seascape (CIPLS) in
mitigate reef destruction caused Hindang and Inopacan, Leyte is
by indiscriminate anchoring. limited to five hundred (500) per
Said carrying capacity limit is day. This carrying capacity limit
imposed to avoid overcrowding has been adopted by the CIPLS
in the marine protected area which Protected Area Management
may cause damage to the islands’ Board (PAMB) chaired by the
healthy reef colonies, marine and Department of Environment
other biodiversity resources, and and Natural Resources (DENR)
its pristine surroundings. from a study conducted by GIZ
Protected Area Management
Enhancement (PAME) project
which recommends limiting
visitors to 500 per day particularly
on Digyo Island. The study also
recommends limiting snorkelers
to two hundred (200) per day

Protected Areas in Eastern Visayas | 41

The DENR in Region 8 found partners in protecting the coastal and marine resources of the Cuatro Islas Protected Landscape/Seascape. One of them is the Hagit
sa Cuatro Islas alang sa mga Kabataan (HACIMKA) Blue Brigade of Himokilan Island composed of 31 women members who stand by its oath to protect the rich coastal
and marine resources of the island. Serving as ‘watchdogs’, these women ensure that the pristine state of the Himokilan Island in Cuatro Islas is preserved and protected
by strictly monitoring and reporting incidences of environmental law violations within the protected area.

42 | Protected Areas in Eastern Visayas

Guiuan Marine Reserve

Protected Landscape and Seascape

Guiuan, Eastern Samar

Protected Areas in Eastern Visayas | 43

The Guiuan Marine

Reserve Protected

Landscape and

Seascape is a

protected area

associated with

the Guiuan Island

Group located

off the coast of

the municipality

of Guiuan on the

eastern side of the

Leyte Gulf.

44 | Protected Areas in Eastern Visayas

The protected area consists of Calicoan, Manicani, Suluan, Tubabao, Homonhon and other smaller islands and their surrounding reefs. It includes the coastal area of
mainland Guiuan in Eastern Samar covering a total area of 60,448 hectares.

Protected Areas in Eastern Visayas | 45

The sea provides an abundant fishing ground to ensure the
sustenance of coastal communities dependent on fishing.

46 | Protected Areas in Eastern Visayas

The constant skirmish of waves and rocks has sculptured a beautiful scenery
along the coastlines.

Protected Areas in Eastern Visayas | 47

The presence of limestones and rocky
substrate indicates the existence of cave
systems in the area which make up one of
the fascinating attractions of GMRPLS.
Some of its most highlighted caves are the
Aguing Cave, Boro-Boro Cave, and Linao
Cave.

48 | Protected Areas in Eastern Visayas

A wide array of corals with different shapes,sizes and colors serves as habitat of different aquatic species. The coral reefs is one of the typical habitat and ecosystem

found in the protected area. Protected Areas in Eastern Visayas | 49

50 | Protected Areas in Eastern Visayas

Landscape The land which now comprises the conservation
area was previously declared as a Marine
Reserve and Tourist Zone and was placed
under the administration and control of the Philippine
Tourism Authority in 1978.

It was re-proclaimed and re-classified as a protected
landscape / seascape in 1994 under the National
Integrated Protected Areas System Act of 1992.

Protected Areas in Eastern Visayas | 51

The GMRPLS
is composed
of coastal,
marine and freshwater

ecosystems. The

dominant vegetation is

mangrove (which lines

the coast of mainland

Guiuan and covers most

of the islands.

It hosts a prolific

flora and fauna endemic

to its biogeographical

makeup. It features

terrestial species of

hardwood and fruit –

bearing trees. There

is also the presence of

diverse wildlife in the

area and the abundance

of coastal and marine

resources.

52 | Protected Areas in Eastern Visayas

Protected Areas in Eastern Visayas | 53

Flora and Fauna
54 | Protected Areas in Eastern Visayas

Protected Areas in Eastern Visayas | 55

Centuries of waves’ constant
crashing into the rocks has

resulted to nature’s handiwork
of beautiful rock formations that

adds artistry and allure to the
place.

56 | Protected Areas in Eastern Visayas

Calbayog Pan-as Hayiban Protected Landscape
Calbayog City, Samar
Protected Areas in Eastern Visayas | 57

The Calbayog Pan-as Hayiban Protected
Landscape (CPHPL), covering 5,067.92 hectares
was declared as a protected area under NIPAS
Act on February 03, 1998 through Proclamation No. 1158.

58 | Protected Areas in Eastern Visayas

The diverse resources of CPHPL as part of the hinterlands
of Samar Island, provides multitudes of products and services to the
people of Samar Island such as wood, rattan, bamboo, resins, food,
and medicines.

It is surrounded by open canopy and residual forests with
grasslands. Its forest cover provides effective protection against
excessive soil erosion and minimizes the occurrence of destructive
floods.

Protected Areas in Eastern Visayas | 59

The area also known as
Calbayog Watershed, is located in
Oquendo District, northwest of the City
of Calbayog, Samar.

It also serves as watersheds
to Gandara river System, providing
clean and sufficient water to more or
less 500,000 residents of the island for
domestic, agricultural and industrial
uses.

60 | Protected Areas in Eastern Visayas

Economic
opportunities that an
ecologically-balanced
CPHPL can offer to
the populace.

Protected Areas in Eastern Visayas | 61

The area contains many unique
and natural features and historical
attractions that are being developed
or have potential for eco-tourism and
recreational uses.

62 | Protected Areas in Eastern Visayas

Waterfalls of Calbayog Pan-as Hayiban Protected Landscape

Protected Areas in Eastern Visayas | 63

It is the
location
of all
three sources
of water supply
for the water
district, namely,
Pan-as Falls,
Pasungon Falls,
and Himoni
River.

64 | Protected Areas in Eastern Visayas

It is one of the 39 watersheds in the
main island of Samar, extending
along the valley of the Hayiban
River, the primary source of water for the
Calbayog Water District.

Protected Areas in Eastern Visayas | 65

Biri LaRosa Protected Landscape and Seascape

Biri, Lavesares, Rosario, and San Jose, Northern Samar

66 | Protected Areas in Eastern Visayas

Biri Larosa Protected Landscape
and Seascape was proclaimed as
a protected area under NIPAS Act
on April 23, 2000 by virtue of Proclamation
No. 291.
The protected area covers 32, 284.140
hectares of land and sea.
It also includes the coastal areas of the
adjacent municipalities from which it derives
the second half of its name. LAROSA stands
for Lavezares, Rosario and San Jose.

Protected Areas in Eastern Visayas | 67

68 | Protected Areas in Eastern Visayas

The PA contains 443 hectares of mangrove
forests with 15 different mangrove species.
Protected Areas in Eastern Visayas | 69

Biri Larosa Protected Landscape and Seascape was proclaimed as a protected area under NIPAS Act on April 23, 2000 by virtue of Proclamation No. 291.
The protected area covers 32, 284.140 hectares of land and sea.

70 | Protected Areas in Eastern Visayas

The PA contains 443 hectares of mangrove forests with 15 different mangrove species. These provide habitat to
different local and migratory bird species such as bridled tern, black-naped tern, greater crested tern and the frigatebird,
among others.

Protected Areas in Eastern Visayas | 71

72 | Protected Areas in Eastern Visayas

Protected Areas in Eastern Visayas | 73

Biri is the largest and northernmost part of the Balicuatro Island - a group of 18 small islands situated about 11 kilometers northeast of Balicuatro Point, the
Northwestern tip of Samar Island.

BLPS became famous for its “rock formation”, a tourist attraction that brought Biri to the nation’s map of tourism. It is also considered as one of the richest areas
in terms of coastal and marine resources in the Province.

There are seven gigantic limestone rocks located at Magasang, Magsapad, Macadlaw, Puhunan, Bel-at, Caranas, and Pinahawan. These rock formations are a result
of underwater tectonic plate movements and crashing waves over million of years.

74 | Protected Areas in Eastern Visayas

Protected Areas in Eastern Visayas | 75

The coral reefs of the Biri Larosa Protected Landscape and Seascape comprise 81.53 hectares off the Biri Larosa Protected Area which supports 23 different fish
species. Sea grasses cover about 284 hectares consisting of various species.

76 | Protected Areas in Eastern Visayas

Protected Areas in Eastern Visayas | 77

Samar Island Natural Park

The Beginning
The drive to conserve the remaining forests of Samar started in the late eighties when continuous rains flooded the farmlands and lowland communities in the eastern

and northern part of the island resulting to loss of lives and properties. The Samarnons realized that they were experiencing the adverse effects of rapid and widespread
of deforestation in the island.

After the floods, the civil society led by the local non-government organizations campaigned for a logging moratorium in the island. As a result of public pressure,
the Department of Environment and Natural Resources imposed a logging moratorium in the whole island in February 1989.

The civil society continued its campaign for the local government units and communities to support a resolution to declare the remaining rainforests of Samar as a
Protection Forest and oppose mining in the whole island. Thousands signed the petition which was sent to Malacañang. In 1996, President Ramos signed Presidential
Proclamation 744, declaring the rainforests of the island as the Samar Island Forest Reserve (SIFR).

The Samarnons continued to press for a stronger and stable institutional framework through resolutions, consultations, public assemblies and rallies gaining in the
process a broader support from the academe, religious sector, political leaders and the Regional Development Council. With the facilitative support of the Samar Island
Biodiversity Project (SIBP), the Samar Island Natural Park was finally proclaimed on August 13, 2003 under the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS).

78 | Protected Areas in Eastern Visayas

Located at the core of Samar Island in Eastern Visayas, Samar Island Natural Park, was proclaimed under the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS)
as per Presidential Proclamation No. 442 in August 2003. The Natural Park was established “to ensure the conservation and long-term protection of the forest biological
diversity while at the same time providing for the sustainable use and flow of forest products, biological resources and services to meet the local communities and
national needs”

The SINP cuts across the three provinces of Samar Island in the Eastern Visayas Region. Samar Island is located within 124000’E to 126000’E longitude, and
10045’N to 12045’N latitude. The island has an area of about 13,429 km2 and is bounded to the north by the San Bernardino Strait, to the east by the Pacific Ocean,
to the west by the Samar Sea and to the south by the Leyte Gulf. It is situated 550 kilometers southeast of Manila, which is an hour’s plane ride via the airports in
Catarman, Calbayog City in Samar Island, and the airport in Tacloban City in the neighboring island of Leyte. Samar Island can also be reached by a 20-hour bus ride
from Manila – the national capital.

The Natural Park has core area of 333,300 hectares and a buffer zone of 124,500 hectares. SINP encompasses 34 municipalities and 3 cities (Borongan City,

Calbayog City, Catbalogan City) in the three provinces of Samar Island and covering approximately 300 barangays both in the core area and the buffer zone.
The Municipalities within the Park include Lope de Vega, Mondragon, Silvino Lobos and Las Navas in Northern Samar; Arteche, Balangiga, Balangkayan, Borongan,

Can-Avid, Dolores, Gen. MacArthur, Giporlos, Hernani, Jipapad, Lawaan, Llorente, Maslog, Maydolong, Oras, Guinapondan, San Julian, Sulat and Taft in Eastern
Samar; and San Jose Buan, Paranas, Motiong, Jiabong, Catbalogan, San Jorge, Gandara, Calbayog, Matuguinao, Calbiga, Hinabangan, Marabut and Basey in the
Province of Samar. The SINP is one of the largest terrestrial protected areas in the country.

Protected Areas in Eastern Visayas | 79

Biological Significance
The Samar Island Natural Park is drained by several long and deep river systems, of which very little is known of the existing biological resources. Of the 39

watersheds in the whole island, 25 have their upper catchments inside the SINP. The watershed with the largest area inside the Natural Park are the Gandora Watershed
(113,009 has.), Ulot/Can-Avid Watershed (87,476 has.), Catubig Watershed (87,346 has.), Dolores Watershed (80,281 has.), Suribao Watershed (71,705 has.), Pambujan
Watershed (59,502 has.), Taft Watershed (55,771 has.), Basey Watershed (30,731 has.)

The SINP is exceptionally rich in biodiversity. It has the largest remaining unfragmented tracts of lowland tropical rainforests in the country, which includes 120,000
hectares of primary forests and a large, contiguous tract of second growth forest in good ecological condition. In terms of forest types, the Natural Park contains mossy

forests, lowland evergreen forest, forest over limestone, forest over ultrabasic rocks and lower montane forest. There are many caves in the limestone areas, many of which
remain unexplored.

The area belongs to the Eastern Visayas Bio- geographic Region, one of 15 such areas in the Philippines. It is one of 18 Centers of Plant Diversity and Endemism in the
country, with around 885 species in 499 genera and 65 families of flowering plants recorded so far. These include 406 endemic tree species of which 12 species are listed
in IUCN’s (International Union for the Conservation of Nature) World List of Threatened Species. Several indigenous species of orchids, cycads, ferns and fern allies are

listed in the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES II).

80 | Protected Areas in Eastern Visayas

Floral Diversity
The SINP has relatively high plant biodiversity resources. The total plant diversity of

the Natural Park is composed of 974 species distributed in 436 genera and 131 families.
The entire SINP houses a total of 55 species of epiphytes, 103 ferns, 146 herbs, 76 lianas
or woody vines, 56 shrubs, 165 small trees, 230 medium-sized trees, 100 large trees,
36 tree-like plants and 39 vines. These plant taxa have potential economic uses such
as for cottage industry, fruit crops/trees with edible fruits and fiber sources, landscape
materials, medicinal, ornamentals and timber.

Protected Areas in Eastern Visayas | 81

Rafflesia manillanaThe 1997 IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants include 10 species of vascular plants from Samar Island. The rare plant

Rafflesia manillana, recorded in Samar is categorized as endangered. Two fern species are also included in the IUCN Red List.
These are Platycerium grande (endangered) found solely in lowland dipterocarp forests and Cyathea negrosiana (rare), which
is restricted to the Visayan Islands.

82 | Protected Areas in Eastern Visayas

Wetland Ecosystem
The water bodies especially the

rivers and streams are very much
widespread in the PA due to the
relatively dense surface drainage
of most of the SINP watersheds.
The total water body is about 93
hectares of less than 0.03% of the
entire PA.

Protected Areas in Eastern Visayas | 83

84 | Protected Areas in Eastern Visayas

Sailfin Lizard Protected Areas in Eastern Visayas | 85
Hydrosaurus postulatus