The Davao City ordinance designating Mt. Apo Natural Park (MANP) as a geopark outlines integrated management strategies that include habitat protection, rehabilitation, community organization, environmental education, ecotourism, and geotourism. To ensure a cohesive implementation, the initiative will be incorporated into the Forest Use Plan, Comprehensive Land Use Plan, Comprehensive Development Plan, and City Zoning.
The ordinance assigns the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) the responsibility of managing the Davao City portion of the geopark. It establishes policies to protect the watershed area, which supports critically endangered species, such as the Philippine Eagle. Mt. Apo, the highest peak in the country at 3,143.6 meters, is recognized as a biodiversity hotspot, has been an ASEAN Heritage Park since 1984, and is protected under the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS).
The ordinance will take effect 15 days after publication, pending approval by the Mayor’s Office. This initiative reinforces Mt. Apo’s conservation framework and promotes its bid for UNESCO Global Geopark designation.