Three new EAAFP network sites declared in the Philippines
Three wetlands in the Philippines have been designated as Network Flyway Sites by the East Asian-Australasian Flyway Partnership (EAAFP), particularly ๐๐๐ค๐ ๐๐๐ข๐ง๐ข๐ญ (๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐), ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐๐ง ๐๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐ก ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ ๐๐๐ง๐๐ญ๐ฎ๐๐ซ๐ฒ (๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐), and ๐๐ข๐๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ฒ ๐๐๐ญ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ ๐๐๐ฌ๐๐ซ๐ฏ๐ (๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐). With this declaration, the Philippines now has a total of seven wetland areas in the flyway network.
Lake Mainit (EAAF 158)
Straddling the provinces of Agusan del Norte and Surigao del Norte on the northern tip of Mindanao, Lake Mainit is theย fourth largest and the deepest lake in the Philippines. It spans approximately 17,340 hectares, plunges about 168 meters deep, and has a shoreline of about 59 kilometers long.
Photo credit: Godofredo Jakosalem
Lake Mainit supports rich biodiversity and is home to endemic plants like the fire orchid, narra, and Indian lotus,ย two rare fish species called “pedianga”ย (Glossogobius giurus)ย and “buguan”ย Ophieleotris aporos), and birds like the Mindanao scops owl, white-breasted sea eagle. Fisheries and aquaculture are the lifeblood of communities surrounding the lake.
Agusan Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary (EAAF 159)
Meanwhile, the Agusan Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary is a 40,954 ha. wetland wonderland comprised of swamp forests, peatlands, marshes, rivers, lakes, oxbow lakes, and floodplains. It is the largest and least disturbed freshwater wetland in the country, providing safe havens for migratory and waterbirds to feed, breed, nest, and rest.
Photo credit: DENR PAMO AMWS
Around 197 bird species, such as the common sandpiper, silvery kingfisher, Philippine duck, wandering whistling duck, and Oriental darter, dance to the rhythm of life found in the site. AMWS is also the home of the rare Philippine freshwater crocodile, as well as the inspiration behind the rich spirituality and culture of the Agusanon Manobo Tribe.
Sibugay Wetland Nature Reserve (EAAF 160)
The Sibugay Wetland Nature Reserve is also a wetland complex of forested wetlands, intertidal mud and sand flats, coral reefs, and the marine waters of Sibugay Bay. It runs along the horseshoe-shaped coastline of Sibugay Bay with an area of 175,551.12 ha.
Photo credit: DENR Zamboanga Peninsula
Its rich mangrove cover makes it an ideal refuge for three species of flying fox, housing the largest colony in the Philippines, which includes over 130,000 endangered large flying foxes (Pteropus vampyrus).ย Moreover, the tidal mudflats of the reserve are stopover points for migratory waterbirds and a habitat for shellfish, which local communities harvest for food and livelihoods.
The other EAAFP flyway network sites are the Olango Island Wildlife Sanctuary (EAAF 007), Naujan Lake National Park (EAAF 062), Tubbataha Reefs National Park (EAAF 123), and Negros Occidental Coastal Wetlands Conservation Area (EAAF 135).
The announcement came on November 10 during the 12th EAAFP Meeting of Parties (EAAFP MOP 12) in Mactan, Cebu City, where the Wetlands International teamโwith delegates representing the Global Office in the Netherlands, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Japanโjoined EAAFP in championing the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands that millions of migratory birds depend on.
The addition of three new network sites in the flyway is highly significant due to their ecological, geographical, and conservation value. The declaration would not only enhance regional cooperation for migratory bird conservation but also strengthen efforts to conserve and restore the health of these wetland ecosystems.
References:
โLake Mainit, Agusan Del Norte and Surigao Del Sur.โ Lake Mainit, Agusan Del Norte and Surigao Del Sur, Foundation for the Philippine Environment, 2025, adminpanel.fpe.ph/conservation_site/location_details/lake-mainit-agusan-del-norte-and-surigao-del-sur.
โAgusan Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary.โ Agusan Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary | ASEAN Clearing House Mechanism, Asean Centre for Biodiversity, asean.chm-cbd.net/agusan-marsh-wildlife-sanctuary. Accessed 28 Nov. 2025.
โAgusan River Basin.โ Foundation for the Philippine Environment, Foundation for the Philippine Environment, adminpanel.fpe.ph/conservation_site/location_details/agusan-river-basin. Accessed 28 Nov. 2025.
โSibugay Wetland Nature Reserve.โ Ramsar Sites Information Service, The Convention on Wetlands, rsis.ramsar.org/ris/2552?__goaway_challenge=meta-refresh&__goaway_id=737b44d2142721e624d6bdaa33f4a4b0&__goaway_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fph.search.yahoo.com%2F. Accessed 28 Nov. 2025.