Wetlands play a crucial role in protecting diverse ecosystems by providing shelter for migratory birds, fish and amphibians, including endangered and near-threatened species. They also provide essential services for local communities such as flood mitigation, carbon sinks and water quality maintenance. For agriculture, wetlands ensure fertile lands and reliable water sources for crops.
In the Philippines, the list of Ramsar Sites is growing. A Ramsar site is a wetland that has been designated as being of international importance under the Ramsar Convention, an international environmental treaty signed in 1971 in Ramsar, Iran.
Just recently, the Sibugay Wetland Nature Reserve (SWNR) and the Del Carmen Mangrove Reserve (DCMR) in Siargao Island Protected Landscape and Seascape have been designated as Wetlands of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, making them the 9th and 10th Ramsar sites in the Philippines.
The SWNR is an important habitat for thousands of migratory birds during the migratory season. Here, they rest, eat, drink and find safe refuge from predators. Its mudflats serve as a critical stopover for migratory shorebirds within the East Asia Australasian Flyway, including the endangered great knot (Calidris tenuirostris), Far Eastern curlew (Numenius madagascariensis), the vulnerable Chinese egret (Egretta eulophotes), and the endemic Philippine duck (Anas luzonica).
The reserve also hosts nine near-threatened species, namely black-tailed godwit (Limosa limosa), bar-tailed godwit (Limosa lapponica), grey-tailed tattler (Heteroscelus brevipes), Eurasian curlew (Numenius arquata), Asiatic dowitcher (Limnodromus semipalmatus), curlew sandpiper (Calidris ferruginea), red knot (Calidris canutus), red-necked Stint (Calidris ruficollis), and Malaysian plover (Charadrius peronii).
The critically endangered hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata), the endangered green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas), and the vulnerable olive ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) also find refuge at the SWNR. Two of the world’s largest flying foxes, the Philippine endemic and endangered golden-crowned flying fox (Acerodon jubatus), and the large flying fox (Pteropus vampyrus), use the reserve as roost sites.
Meanwhile, the DCMR is home to a diverse collection of organisms, including species that are globally threatened or endemic to the Philippines and the Mindanao region. These include the Philippine duck and the southern rufous hornbill (Buceros mindanensis), and the two restricted-range species, namely the Mindanao hornbill (Penelopides affinis) and the yellowish bulbul (Hypsipetes everetti).
The mangroves in DCMR cover approximately 4,871 hectares or 53.24 percent of Siargao Island’s total mangrove forest, providing nearby communities with protection against storm surges. It also supports local livelihood through food production and ecotourism activities.