PAMO records blooming Rafflesia in South Cotabato's AVPL

The Protected Area Management Office (PAMO) of the Allah Valley Protected Landscape (AVPL) has documented another blooming Rafflesia during a recent field work at the area.

In a social media post by DENR Soccsksargen on 25 November 2025, the monitoring team was conducting field work this month on biodiversity in the dense forest of the AVPL.

The newly recorded flower was found within the Strict Protection Zone (SPZ) of the site, reaffirming the ecological importance of maintaining undisturbed forest habitats.

This was one of the biggest ever seen in the AVPL, as the monitoring team measured the flower at 93 centimeters wide.

This included a perigone lobe size of 30 centimeters, a central disk width of 21 centimeters, and an opening diameter of 46 centimeters.

These data are crucial in understanding the growth patterns and ecological conditions required to support the species, which is known for its highly specialized life cycle and dependence on undisturbed forest ecosystems.

Rafflesia schadenbergiana is classified as critically endangered and is recognized as the largest species of Rafflesia in the Philippines and the second largest in the world, a Mindanao-endemic species historically found only in areas of Davao, Bukidnon, and South Cotabato. The discovery of another healthy bloom within the AVPL highlights the landscape’s essential role in conserving rare and threatened flora.

PAMO-AVPL continues to strengthen its biodiversity programs, including habitat assessment, regular monitoring of key species, and information, education, and communication (IEC) campaigns, to ensure the long-term protection of this ecologically significant plant.