THE MT. Apo Natural Park (MANP) Protected Area Management Office is preparing for international evaluation as it hopes to become the 2nd UNESCO Global Geopark in the country.
Clint Michael Cleofe, MANP office OIC, said they are working closely with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources XI to be “100% ready” to receive the evaluators this coming August.
“Among ginaampo nga kita na ang ikaduha nga mahimong UNESCO Global Geopark dinhi sa nasod Pilipinas, sunod sa isla sa Bohol,” Cleofe told reporters on Friday, during a Bantay Bukid deputation training at MANP office, Kapatagan, Davao del Sur.
Cleofe said 2026 is their second year to secure the distinction, following the submission of their nomination in 2025.
“Kani adtong 2025, nakasumiter kita sa atoang nomination and then giebalwar kini sa atoang taga-UNESCO kung diin ilang nakita nga husto ang atoang gisumiter nga nominasyon,” he stressed.
UNESCO evaluators from France and China are scheduled to visit the site from Aug. 16 to 21, 2026. The evaluation will coincide with the Kadayawan Festival and will include field visits and meetings with local officials from Davao City, Davao del Sur, and Cotabato.
Cleofe said part of the assessment will include the park’s management and the geological significance of the mountain. The evaluators will proceed to the area, especially on the Davao del Sur side, to see different parts of Mt. Apo, particularly its volcanic origins.
He added that the evaluators will also look at the participation of the IP communities living there, such as their products, their culture, customs, and how important Mt. Apo is to their daily survival.
“Ginatagaan og pagtagad sa UNESCO ang kaimportansya ni Mt. Apo isip usa ka sagrado nga lugar sa atoang mga tribo nga nanimuyo dinhi sa tiilan sa atoang Mt. Apo,” he said.
However, MANP PAMO is not dismissing the possibility of delays or deferments if the evaluators determine that the parameters are insufficient to warrant a declaration of being a 2nd UNESCO Global Geopark.
But the official remains optimistic about their nomination, considering the documentation of vibrant flora and fauna in the mountain.
Recently, PAMO has rediscovered a flowering plant that had not been seen for 122 years, identified as 𝘖𝘱𝘩𝘪𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘩𝘪𝘻𝘢 𝘣𝘪𝘧𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘢, a Philippine endemic species first collected on Mt. Apo in October 1904 by American botanist Edwin Bingham Copeland.
Another rare plant species, 𝘈𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘮𝘺𝘭𝘢 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘴, a species originally recorded in Mt. Apo in 1909, was also rediscovered in 2025.
Cleofe said the discoveries emphasize the enduring richness of Mt. Apo’s forests and highlight the importance of sustained biodiversity monitoring.
“We are always on the positive side; we hope our score is sufficient to be included as a UNESCO Global Geopark. This recognition is not just a point of pride for Mt. Apo, but also for all Dabaonons who are stakeholders of this national park,” Cleofe said.
The mountain was officially declared an ASEAN Heritage Park in 1984 due to its critical biodiversity and watershed importance, while in 2023, the Congress passed Republic Act No. 9237, redesignating the area as the Mt. Apo Natural Park (MANP).
MANP is a premier biodiversity hotspot and home to the critically endangered Philippine Eagle, where the oldest nesting territory of the raptor is found.
