The Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Biodiversity Management Bureau (DENR-BMB) has revealed that 55 of the 93 Protected Areas (PAs) that promote ecotourism are now open to local visitors as the government eases Covid-19 pandemic curbs.
Records further showed that as of November 25, 38 of the PAs remain closed due to the current quarantine restrictions imposed by the Covid-19 Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases and concerned local government units (LGUs).
Two of the PAs in the National Capital Region are now open. These are the Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Center and the Las Piñas-Parañaque Wetland Park (formerly Las Piñas Parañaque Critical Habitat and Ecotourism Area).
In Region 1, the Paoay Lake National Park and Hundred Island National Park are now open. In Region 2, Northern Sierra Madre Natural Park, Quirino Protected Landscape and Palaui Island Protected Landscape and Seascape are now open to local visitors. In Region 3, only the Masinloc Oyon Bay Protected Landscape and Seascape is open to local visitors.
In the Calabarzon or Region 4A, open to visitors are the Taal Volcano Protected Landscape, Quezon Protected Landscape, Maulawin Spring Protected Landscape, Pamitinan Protected Landscape and Upper Marikina River Basin Protected Landscape.
In the Mimaropa or Region 4B, El Nido Taytay Managed Resource Protected Area is open for local visitors or as required by EOC-El Nido with antigen and vaccination card as requirements. The Naujan Lake National Park, meanwhile, is open to local tourists. The world-famous Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park allows tourism only from May to June.
In Region 5, Abasig-Matogdon-Mananap Natural Biotic Area, Bongsanglay Natural Park, Libmanan Caves National Park, and Mt. Isarog Natural Park are now open to local visitors.
In Region 6, Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park, Northwest Panay Peninsula Natural Park and Sagay Marine Reserve are open to visitors, while the Taklong Island National Marine Reserve is open only to fully vaccinated individuals.
In Region 7, open to the public are Central Cebu Protected Landscape, Olango Island Wildlife Sanctuary, Camotes Island Protected Landscape and Seascape, Guadalupe Mabugnao Mainit Hot Spring National Park, Rajah Sikatuna Protected Landscape, Chocolate Hills Natural Monument, Cabilao-Sandingan Islands Mangrove Swamp Forest Reserve/Wilderness Area, Candijay-Anda-Mabini Mangrove Swamp Forest Reserve, Bantayan Island Wilderness Area, Apo Island Protected Landscape and Seascape and Balinsasayao Twin Lakes Natural Park.
In Region 8, Cuatro Islas Protected Landscape and Seascape is open for residents of Inopacan, Leyte, while Lake Danao Natural Park, Mahagnao Volcano Natural Park, Samar Island Natural Park, Guiuan Marine Resource Protected Landscape and Seascape are all open to local visitors.
In Region 9, the Jose Rizal Memorial Protected Landscape and Mt. Timolan Protected Landscape are open to local visitors.
In Region 10, open to local visitors are the Mt. Kalatungan Range Natural Park, Mt. Malindang Natural Park, Initao-Libertad Protected Landscape and Seascape.
In Region 11, partially opened are the Mt. Apo Natural Park, Pujada Bay Protected Landscape and Seascape. Open to local and foreign visitors, meanwhile, are the Mabini Protected Landscape and Seascape, Aliwagwag Protected Landscape, and Baganga Mangrove Swamp Forest Reserve.
In Region 12, some of the local beach resorts in Sarangani Bay Protected Seascape are now open, while the Mt. Matutum Protected Landscape, Allah Valley Watershed Forest Reserve and Libungan River Watershed Forest Reserve are now accepting visitors.
Finally, in the Caraga Region, both the Agusan Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary and Siargao Island Protected Landscape and Seascape are now open to tourists.