Philippines - Coral Reef Rescue - Overview

~500Stony coral species (12 endemic)

~3,000Fish species recorded

$3.5BAnnual coastal ecosystem services

37,000 kmCoastline (one of world's longest)

BCU 20Central & Southern Palawan

Philippines - Coral Reef Rescue Project - Team

Focal National Government Ministry Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)

National Technical Facilitator Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD)

John Francisco Pontillas
Chief, Environmentally Critical Areas Network / Policy Research and Planning Division

Riva Quindara
Project Development Officer

Philippines - Key Focal Areas

The Philippines Coral Reefs

The Philippines is a global marine biodiversity treasure, boasting an extraordinary variety of corals, fish, and marine plants. Despite facing environmental challenges, its marine corridors like the Verde Island Passage and Tawi-Tawi remain vibrant hubs of reef-associated fish biodiversity, playing a critical role in maintaining coral population connectivity. These ecosystems are not just ecological marvels but also economic pillars, contributing an impressive $3.5 billion annually. The country’s coral reefs and mangroves are vital for coastal protection, food security, and sustainable livelihoods, showcasing the resilience and value of these natural resources.

Central and Southern Palawan, within the Sulu Sea and South Philippine Sea marine bioregions, are key focus areas celebrated for their rich biodiversity and well-managed marine sites. Municipalities like Aborlan, Narra, and El Nido are recognized for their thriving reefs and successful conservation efforts. The El Nido-Taytay Protected Area, covering 54,000 hectares, exemplifies how effective management can sustain vibrant marine ecosystems, supporting both ecotourism and local communities. The resilient reefs of Taytay and the Dumaran Channel further highlight the potential for continued growth and sustainability in these treasured waters.

Philippines' Biodiversity Conservation Unit

BCU 20 · Central and Southern Palawan

Consultation with local experts during project design resulted in three northern Palawan sites being prioritised for site-based action, chosen for their higher reef health indices, biodiversity, accessibility and stronger baseline data availability.

El Nido A 1st class municipality whose western Bacuit Bay is a prominent ecotourism and coral reef diversity site, with the Imorigue Channel to the east also home to extensive reefs. Long-term, effective management means reef fish can reach maximum sizes and reefs can support top predators such as sharks. Part of 54,000 ha El Nido–Taytay MRPA 20–45% coral cover (fair to good)	Taytay A first-class municipality bordered by El Nido and Linapacan. Also home to the Malampaya Sound Protected Landscape and Seascape and the Lake Manguao Conservation Area, with a mix of mangroves, corals and seagrass supporting both ecotourism and established fishing communities. Malampaya Sound Protected Landscape Prominent fishing communities
Dumaran Channel The marine channel between the municipalities of Dumaran and Araceli. Identified by the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD) as a strong candidate for resilient reef conservation thanks to very good coral condition and favourable oceanographic features. Strong candidate for resilient reefs (PCSD) Very good coral condition

Latest Coral Reef Rescue News from the Philippines

Coral Reef Rescue Project Officially Launches in Palawan Biosphere Reserve, Philippines

New Resources

The GEF -7 Coral Reef Rescue Project has released free online courses and resources on coral reef conservation. These include;

Alongside these courses, a new online decision support tool was created Coral Reef Rescue Portal. This brings together over 70 existing coral reef datasets and resources in one easy-to-use, searchable platform.

Relevant documents:

*Note: To learn more about Philippines's invovlement in the Coal Ref Rescue Project and their reefs, please read through the Project Document.