‘Our Fragile Earth’ spotlights Phl protected areas

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Biodiversity Management Bureau (DENR-BMB), in partnership with Senator Loren Legarda, has produced a new season of the documentary series “Our Fragile Earth: Protected Areas of the Philippines,” which highlights the urgent need to protect and conserve the country’s most critical ecosystems.

Home to five percent of the world’s plant species and a vast range of endemic wildlife, the Philippines has legally protected its natural treasures under the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) Act of 1992. This law was further strengthened through Republic Act 11038 or the Expanded NIPAS (ENIPAS) Act of 2018, which now covers 248 protected areas (PAs) nationwide.

Despite these legal safeguards, DENR-BMB research shows that many PAs face persistent threats such as illegal development, land encroachment, agricultural expansion, unregulated tourism and invasive species.

“This season of Fragile Earth feels even more special,” said Senator Loren Legarda, principal author and co-sponsor of the ENIPAS Act. “From the sunrise atop Mt. Pulag, to the waterbirds of Olango Island, to the ancient caves of Naga-Kabasalan, each landscape reminds us how fortunate we are to call this country our home. These sanctuaries must be preserved not only in heart and spirit — but in deed — for generations to come.”

The first three seasons of the documentary have featured 38 protected areas and five conservation sites. Season 4, premiering this June, will showcase eight more: Mts. Iglit-Baco Natural Park in MIMAROPA, Siargao Island Protected Landscape in the Caraga region, Northern Negros Natural Park in Western Visayas, Palaui Island Protected Landscape and Seascape in the Cagayan Valley region, Mt. Pulag Protected Landscape in the Cordillera Administrative Region, Buhi Wildlife Sanctuary in the Bicol Region, Naga-Kabasalan Protected Landscape in the Zamboanga Peninsula, and Olango Island Wildlife Sanctuary in Central Visayas.

“This series tells the stories of our protected areas and supports our commitments to the Sustainable Development Goals and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework,” said DENR-BMB assistant director Mariglo Rosaida I. Laririt. “We hope it inspires more people to learn about and help protect these vital ecosystems.”