The Philippines established its protected area system through the National Integrated Protected Areas System Act of 1992, known as Republic Act 7586. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources oversees 244 protected areas as of 2023, covering approximately 5.4 million hectares across terrestrial and marine environments. This represents roughly 18 percent of the country's total land area and significant portions of its marine territory. The system includes national parks, natural parks, protected landscapes and seascapes, resource reserves, natural monuments, wildlife sanctuaries, and marine reserves. Three Philippine protected areas hold UNESCO World Heritage status for their natural values: Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park designated in 1993, Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park in 1999, and Mount Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary in 2014.
Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park encompasses 97,030 hectares of marine protected area in the Sulu Sea, approximately 150 kilometers southeast of Puerto Princesa City in Palawan. The park protects two coral atolls, North Atoll and South Atoll, separated by an eight-kilometer channel. Jessie Beazley Reef lies 20 kilometers north of the main atolls within park boundaries. The reefs rise from abyssal depths exceeding 1,000 meters. Scientific surveys have documented 600 fish species, 360 coral species representing nearly half of all known coral species worldwide, 11 shark species, 13 dolphin and whale species, and nesting populations of green sea turtles and hawksbill sea turtles. The park remains accessible only during the diving season from mid-March to mid-June when weather permits boat travel from Puerto Princesa. Travel time by boat ranges from eight to ten hours depending on vessel type and sea conditions. Park regulations restrict access to registered liveaboard dive vessels with authorized permits from the Tubbataha Management Office. The Protected Area Management Board enforces a no-take zone throughout the entire park, with rangers stationed on a platform on South Atoll year-round. Philippine naval assets conduct periodic patrols to prevent illegal fishing, particularly by vessels from other nations. In 2013, the protected area expanded from its original 33,200 hectares to its current size, adding buffer zones and additional reef systems.
Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park protects 22,202 hectares of forested limestone karst landscape on the western coast of Palawan, 76 kilometers by road northwest of Puerto Princesa City proper. The park's primary feature is an 8.2-kilometer underground river that flows directly into the sea at Saint Paul Bay, making it one of the longest navigable underground rivers on Earth. The river runs through a cave system within the Saint Paul Mountain Range, with portions reaching up to 60 meters in width and 120 meters in height. Only the first 4.3 kilometers are open to tourist visitation by paddle boat, with strict daily visitor limits enforced through a permit system administered by the City Government of Puerto Princesa. The park protects old-growth forest containing over 800 plant species, including 295 tree species with 115 found only in Palawan. Wildlife populations include Palawan bearded pig, long-tailed macaque, Palawan porcupine, and 165 bird species including the Palawan hornbill and Palawan peacock-pheasant, both endemic to the island. Eight bat species inhabit the cave system. The park gained international attention when it was named one of the New7Wonders of Nature in 2012 through a global voting campaign, though this designation holds no official conservation status. Sabang village serves as the entry point to the underground river, accessible by van or tricycle from Puerto Princesa City.
Mount Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary covers 6,834 hectares across the provinces of Davao Oriental and Davao Occidental in southeastern Mindanao. The mountain range reaches 1,620 meters at its highest point, with the protected area spanning elevations from 75 meters to the summit. The sanctuary protects a complete vertical vegetation profile from lowland forest through montane forest to mossy forest and a unique pygmy forest ecosystem near the summit. The pygmy forest, locally called bonsai forest, contains trees that rarely exceed five meters in height despite being decades old, an adaptation to harsh growing conditions including strong winds, low temperatures, and acidic soils at high elevation. Scientific surveys have identified 1,380 plant and animal species within the sanctuary, with 341 species found only in the Philippines. Endemic wildlife includes the Philippine eagle, Philippine cockatoo, and several amphibian species discovered only on Mount Hamiguitan. The Philippine eagle population in the sanctuary represents one of the critical breeding areas for this species, which numbers fewer than 400 breeding pairs nationwide. Local government units in the municipalities of San Isidro and Governor Generoso jointly manage the sanctuary in partnership with national agencies. Access requires permits from the Protected Area Management Board and registered guides. The primary trail to the summit begins at the Barangay Tinagong Dagat entrance, requiring approximately six to eight hours of hiking to reach the pygmy forest zone.
Mount Pulag National Park encompasses 11,550 hectares in the provinces of Benguet, Ifugao, and Nueva Vizcaya in the Cordillera Central of northern Luzon. Mount Pulag rises to 2,926 meters above sea level, making it the second highest peak in the Philippines after Mount Apo. The mountain remains the highest peak on Luzon. The park protects mossy forest, pine forest, and grassland ecosystems across its elevation gradient. Above 2,500 meters, the vegetation transitions to dwarf bamboo and alpine grasslands. Four major trails provide access to the summit: the Ambangeg Trail from Benguet Province, the Akiki Trail also called the Killer Trail, the Tawangan Trail, and the Ambaguio Trail from Nueva Vizcaya. The Ambangeg Trail remains the most accessible, requiring approximately two to three hours from the ranger station to the summit depending on pace and acclimatization. Summit visitation concentrates during the dry season from November through May, particularly on weekends when hundreds of hikers may attempt the climb. The park gained popular attention for its sea of clouds phenomenon, visible from the summit during early morning hours when conditions align. This weather pattern occurs most reliably during the dry season months. The park recorded 33 bird species including four endemic to the Philippines. Wildlife includes the northern Luzon giant cloud rat, found only in the mountains of northern Luzon above 2,000 meters elevation. Indigenous Kankanaey, Ibaloi, Kalanguya, and Ifugao communities consider Mount Pulag sacred, conducting traditional rituals on the mountain. The Protected Area Management Board enforces registration requirements at ranger stations, prohibits camping above 2,700 meters to protect alpine vegetation, and restricts summit access during conditions of high visitor pressure.
Hundred Islands National Park protects 1,844 hectares of marine and island area in Alaminos City, Pangasinan Province on the western coast of Luzon. The park contains 124 islands and islets at low tide, though only 123 remain visible at high tide. The islands are mushroom-shaped limestone formations created by coral reef growth and subsequent uplift during geological processes over approximately two million years. Ocean erosion carved the distinctive shapes, with many islands undercut at sea level while maintaining wider tops. Island sizes range from less than 1,000 square meters to several hectares. Only three islands maintain developed tourist facilities: Governor Island, Quezon Island, and Children Island, each with docking areas, cottages, and basic amenities. Quezon Island includes the highest point in the park at 121 meters above sea level, accessible by a developed trail with concrete steps. The marine area between islands supports coral communities and reef fish populations, with snorkeling permitted in designated zones. The islands themselves support limited vegetation, primarily scrub and small trees adapted to the exposed limestone substrate and high salt exposure. Monitor lizards inhabit several of the larger islands. The park administration in Alaminos City issues entry permits and regulates island access through a boat system that transports visitors from the mainland jump-off point in Lucap Wharf. Travel time from wharf to nearest islands takes approximately 20 minutes by outrigger boat. The National Committee on Geological Sciences identified the area as a National Geological Monument in 2003 due to its significance for understanding limestone karst formation processes in tropical marine environments.