The Philippines has over 240 national parks and protected areas, encompassing about 15% of the country's land area. They are managed by the Philippines' Department of Environment and Natural Resources through its Biodiversity Management Bureau.

Understand

The Philippine national park and protected area system date back to the American colonial era. The first national parks established were nature reserves in Bataan (Lamao), Laguna (Caliraya), Negros Occidental (La Carlota), Zamboanga, Pampanga (Mount Arayat) and Isabela. Forests were soon included, starting with Mount Makiling. The first formal national park is Mount Arayat National Park in Pampanga, founded in 1932. Further areas were added since the postwar era, and the present system have been outlined in the National Integrated Protected Area System (NIPAS) Act in 1992.

Under NIPAS, protected areas in the Philippines are categorized as: national parks, protected areas, natural monuments, protected landscapes, protected landscapes and seascapes, protected seascapes, game refuges and bird sanctuaries, resource reserves, managed resource protected areas, marine reserves, watershed forest reserves, natural biotic areas, wildlife sanctuaries, and wilderness areas. Our guide rather goes on a simpler approach, dividing things into national parks and protected landscapes, i.e. all those not categorized as national parks.

National parks

There are 94 designated national parks in the Philippines, the latest additions being in Cagayan Valley. A shaded background indicates a park designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Luzon

Name	Location	Image	Area	Established
1 Aurora Memorial National Park	Aurora and Nueva Ecija		5,676 ha (14,030 acres)
2 Balbasang-Balbalan National Park	Kalinga		1,338 ha (3,310 acres)
Bangan Hill National Park	Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya		13.90 ha (34.3 acres)
3 Bataan National Park	Bataan		23,688 ha (58,530 acres)	1945
4 Biak-na-bato National Park	San Miguel, Bulacan		854 ha (2,110 acres)
Caramoan National Park	Caramoan, Camarines Sur		347 ha (860 acres)
Cassamata Hill National Park	Abra		67 ha (170 acres)	1972
Fuyot Springs National Park	Ilagan, Isabela		819 ha (2,020 acres)	1938
5 Hundred Islands National Park	Alaminos, Pangasinan		1,676 ha (4,140 acres)	1940
Libmanan Caves National Park	Libmanan, Camarines Sur		19.40 ha (47.9 acres)	1934
6 Luneta National Park	Ermita, Manila		58 ha (140 acres)	1955
Minalungao National Park	General Tinio, Nueva Ecija		2,018 ha (4,990 acres)	1967
Mount Arayat National Park	Arayat, Pampanga		3,715 ha (9,180 acres)	1930
Mount Data National Park	Benguet and Mountain Province		5,512 ha (13,620 acres)
Mount Iglit-Baco National Park	Baco, Mindoro		5,676 ha (14,030 acres)
7 Mount Pulag National Park	Benguet, Ifugao, and Nueva Vizcaya		11,150 ha (27,600 acres)
Naujan Lake National Park	Naujan, Mindoro		21,655 ha (53,510 acres)
Northern Luzon Heroes Hill National Park	Ilocos Sur		5,676 ha (14,030 acres)	1963
Olongapo Naval Base Perimeter National Park	Olongapo, Zambales		9 ha (22 acres)
Pagsanjan Gorge National Park	Pagsanjan, Laguna		153 ha (380 acres)
Paoay Lake National Park	Paoay, Ilocos Norte		340 ha (840 acres)
8 Quezon Memorial Circle National Park	Quezon City		23 ha (57 acres)	1975

Visayas

Name	Location	Image	Area	Established
Bulabog Putian National Park	Iloilo		854 ha (2,110 acres)
Guadalupe Mabugnao Mainit Hot Springs National Park	Carcar, Cebu		58 ha (140 acres)
Kuapnit Balinsasayao National Park	Tacloban, Leyte		364 ha (900 acres)
McArthur Landing Memorial National Park	Palo, Leyte		7 ha (17 acres)

Mindanao

Name	Location	Image	Area	Established
Lake Butig National Park	Butig, Lanao del Sur		68 ha (170 acres)
Lake Dapao National Park	Pualas, Lanao del Sur		1,500 ha (3,700 acres)
Mado Hot Spring National Park	Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao		48 ha (120 acres)
Mount Dajo National Park	Jolo Island, Sulu		213 ha (530 acres)
Pantuwaraya Lake National Park	Marawi, Lanao del Sur		20 ha (49 acres)

Palawan

Name	Location	Image	Area	Established
Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park	Puerto Princesa, Palawan		22,202 ha (54,860 acres)

Protected landscapes

Our list of protected areas include all the other types of nature reserves under NIPAS, from natural parks to wilderness areas.

Natural parks

There are 25 natural parks as of 2010, the last addition being Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park.

Luzon

Name	Location	Image	Area	Established
Apo Reef Natural Park	San Jose, Mindoro		15,792 ha (39,020 acres)
Bicol Natural Park	Camarines Norte and Camarines Sur		5,201 ha (12,850 acres)
Bongsanglay Natural Park	Batuan, Masbate		48 ha (120 acres)
Bulusan Natural Park	Sorsogon		244 ha (600 acres)
Kalbario-Patapat Natural Park	Ilocos Norte		3,800 ha (9,400 acres)	2007
Mayon Volcano Natural Park	Albay		5,776 ha (14,270 acres)	2000
Mount Isarog National Park	Camarines Sur		10,112 ha (24,990 acres)
North Sierra Madre Natural Park	Isabela		359,486 ha (888,310 acres)

Natural monuments

There are 4 designated natural monuments, which are mostly small features which are protected for their special character.

• 9 Bessang Pass (693 ha (1,710 acres)) — Ilocos Sur
• 10 Chocolate Hills (14,145 ha (34,950 acres)) — Bohol

Protected landscapes

Luzon

Name	Location	Image	Area	Established
Amro River Protected Landscape	Casiguran, Aurora		6,471 ha (15,990 acres)	2000
Bigbiga Protected Landscape	Narvacan, Ilocos Sur		136 ha (340 acres)	2000
Buenavista Protected Landscape	Buenavista, Quezon		284 ha (700 acres)	2000
Casecnan Protected Landscape	Aurora, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya		88,846 ha (219,540 acres)
Dinadiawan River Protected Landscape	Dipaculao, Aurora		244 ha (600 acres)	2000
Hinulugang Taktak Protected Landscape	Antipolo, Rizal		3,800 ha (9,400 acres)	2000
Libunao Protected Landscape	Ilocos Sur		47 ha (120 acres)	2000
Lidlidda Protected Landscape	Ilocos Sur		1,157 ha (2,860 acres)	2000
Magapit Protected Landscape	Lal-lo, Cagayan		3,404 ha (8,410 acres)	2000
Manleluag Spring Protected Landscape	Mangatarem, Pangasinan		1,935 ha (4,780 acres)	2004
Maulawin Spring Protected Landscape	Guinayangan, Quezon		149 ha (370 acres)	2000
Mount Banahaw-San Cristobal Protected Landscape	Laguna and Quezon		10,901 ha (26,940 acres)	2000
Mount Palay-Palay–Mataas-na-Gulod Protected Landscape	Cavite and Batangas		3,973 ha (9,820 acres)	2007
Pamitinan Protected Landscape	Rodriguez, Rizal		600 ha (1,500 acres)	1996
Quezon Protected Landscape	Quezon		938 ha (2,320 acres)	2003
Quirino Protected Landscape	Quirino		164,364 ha (406,150 acres)	2005
Roosevelt Protected Landscape	Bataan		786 ha (1,940 acres)	2000
Santa Lucia Protected Landscape	Ilocos Sur		174 ha (430 acres)	2000
Simbahan-Talagas Protected Landscape	Dinalungan, Aurora		2,267 ha (5,600 acres)	2000
Taal Volcano Protected Landscape	Batangas		62,292 ha (153,930 acres)	1996