Pasay city: The Philippines is looking at the possible recognition of Mt. Apo Geopark by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) 'next year,' an executive of the UNESCO Philippine National Commission (UNACOM) said Thursday. In an interview in Pasay City, UNACOM Secretary General Ivan Anthony Henares made a specific mention of Mt. Apo when asked what sites in the Philippines are expected to get a UNESCO recognition anytime soon.
According to Philippines News Agency, Henares stated, "Hindi natin masabi kasi iba iba ang preparations so we will see (We cannot say for sure because there are different preparations for each so we will see). But again, we have a new biosphere reserve, maybe this year. We're looking at a possible new geopark next year - (the) Mt. Apo." Mt. Apo, located in the south-central part of Mindanao, is the Philippines' highest mountain at 2,954 meters above sea level. The peak was submitted for inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list in 2009, but was removed from the body's tentative list due to concerns over illegal logging, poaching, and urban and agricultural intrusion.
In 2021, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) confirmed that its application for Mt. Apo's UNESCO recognition is already ongoing, this time as part of its global geopark network. This coming August, the DENR said UNESCO would officially undertake its validation mission at Mt. Apo. At present, there are 47 UNESCO designations across the Philippines. Mt. Apo would be the Philippines' second UNESCO Global Geopark should it secure designation by the UN body, following the Bohol Island UNESCO Global Geopark.
At a reception commemorating UNACOM's 75th anniversary and the Philippines' 80 years at UNESCO this 2026, Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro affirmed Manila's commitment to advancing the UN body's work on peace, education, science, culture, and communication. "We face an increasingly unpredictable global landscape where the challenges ahead are real and evolving. In this environment, hesitation is a luxury that we cannot afford," she said. "We must choose vision over comfort, action over indifference, and service over self-interest. UNACOM will continue to meet these complexities the way it always has - with resilience, integrity, and a clear sense of purpose," she added.
The Filipino top diplomat, together with officials from the Philippine Postal Corporation, also led the launch of a commemorative stamp representing the Philippines' contribution to UNESCO's work in the same event.
