About Apo Reef
Apo Reef Natural Park (ARNP) in Occidental Mindoro, Philippines, is the country's largest coral reef system, the world's second-largest contiguous reef, and a vital marine sanctuary known for incredible diving, teeming with sharks, turtles, rays, and diverse corals, protecting three small islands and a massive atoll system crucial for marine biodiversity within the Coral Triangle. It's a designated protected area, a potential UNESCO site, and offers camping on Apo Island, requiring accredited guides for visits
Legislation
The establishment and management of Apo Reef Natural Park are governed by several key pieces of legislation aimed at protecting its unique marine biodiversity and ensuring sustainable use of its resources. The primary laws include:
1980-1983
Designating Apo Reef as a Marine Park and giving authority to Philippine Tourism Authority to undertake the development and Management of the area
Declaration of ARNP as a tourist Zone and Marine Reserve
1992
Tentative listing of Integrated Parks all over the country and the identification of ten (10) priority sites including the IPAS Reef Natural Park
1996
Apo Reef was proclaimed as Protected Area under the category of Natural Park and it Surrounding waters as buffer zone
2018
Declaring Protected Areas and Providing for Their Management, Amending for This Purpose Republic Act No. 7586, Otherwise Known as the "National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) Act of 1992" and for Other Purposes