Manila: Three prominent nature destinations in the Philippines-the Apo Reef, Turtle Islands, and Balinsasayao Twin Lakes-have been listed among ASEAN's five newest heritage parks. The announcement was made by the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB), which has formally added five new parks to its network of top-notch nature reserves and natural parks in the Southeast Asian region. According to Philippines News Agency, joining the three Philippine parks are the Phou Xieng Thong National Protected Area and Nam Poui National Protected Area in Lao PDR, bringing the total number of ASEAN Heritage Parks (AHP) to 62. ACB Acting Executive Director, Clarissa Arida, emphasized the significance of the AHP Program, stating, "For four decades, the ASEAN Heritage Parks Program has remained relevant and continues to grow-as an outstanding showcase of 'ONE ASEAN' regional cooperation and commitment of the ASEAN Member States to preserve and restore its immense natural wealth." She further added that the AHP Programme has con sistently strengthened the connectivity of highly significant ecosystems in the region while improving protected area management. The newly designated AHPs encompass 11.6 million hectares of legally gazetted protected areas, representing a diverse range of terrestrial, marine, and wetland ecosystems. The Apo Reef Natural Park, located west of Sablayan town in Occidental Mindoro province, is particularly notable. It is the largest contiguous coral reef system in the Philippines and the second largest in the world. The park is recognized as a marine biodiversity hotspot, home to vibrant coral reefs, pristine lagoons, seagrass beds, various mangroves, and lush beach forests. It serves as a sanctuary for over 482 fish species, 63 genera of hard corals, rare marine invertebrates such as the Endangered Green Sea Turtle and Critically Endangered Hawksbill Turtle, and iconic species like Dugongs, Whale Sharks, and Hammerhead Sharks. The ACB has officially designated the Apo Reef Natural Park as the 61st ASEAN Herita ge Park. The Balinsasayao Twin Lakes Natural Park, situated in Negros Oriental province, is a habitat for globally important species such as the Endangered Negros Shrew, Visayan Spotted Deer, Visayan Leopard Cat, the Critically Endangered Philippine Tube-nosed Fruit Bat, and the Visayan Warty Pig, along with Philippine endemic species like the Endangered Golden-crowned Flying Fox. The park covers an area of 8,016 hectares and is home to approximately 325 fern species, 237 tree species, 27 mammalian fauna, and 209 resident and migrant birds. Meanwhile, the Turtle Islands Wildlife Sanctuary is renowned as the only major nesting habitat of Green Sea Turtles in the Philippines and the entire ASEAN region. Located in the Sulu archipelago in Tawi-Tawi province, the sanctuary falls under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources and Energy of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. The Turtle Islands were identified as Extremely High for biodiversity conservation and were decl ared a Turtle Island Heritage Protected Area through a Memorandum of Agreement between the Philippines and Malaysia in 1996. They are also included in the Indian Ocean and South-East Asia Marine Sea Turtle Site Network. Arida noted that being part of the AHP network offers protected areas opportunities to share good practices, engage in regional capacity development and awareness-raising activities, and receive assistance in enhancing protected area management operations, among other benefits. Since its inception, the AHP Program has expanded from its original 11 parks to the current 62 sites.