Philippines

The Philippines has very rich biodiversity in terms of number and percentage. It is regarded as one of 17 mega biodiversity countries due to its geographical isolation, diverse habitats and high rates of endemism. It ranks fifth globally in terms of the number of plant species and maintains 5?% of the world’s flora. In mangroves alone, the country holds at least 50?% mangrove species of the world’s approximately 65 species. However, due to anthropogenic activities as well as natural disturbances, the country continues to lose its rich biodiversity resources including mangroves. This chapter revisits the status of Philippines’ mangroves, its current and future threats and analyzes the mechanisms on how various stakeholders put efforts to address those threats. We found out that while a number of successful conservation and restoration efforts have been made, there are still clear gaps on how different stakeholders can turn their commitments and initiatives into actions to conserve and rehabilitate Philippines’ mangrove for human well-being and sustainable development