Samar is the third largest island in the Philippine archipelago, with a total land area of 1.348 million hectares.  It belongs to the Eastern Visayas biogeographic area, one of the 15 such areas in the Philippines.

The SIBP aims to establish the Samar Island Natural Park (SINP) in order to conserve the rich biodiversity resources in the Island and to reduce poverty among the local communities.  SINP would cover approximately 333,300 hectares of natural forests and a buffer zone of about 125,400 hectares that spans across three provinces, 37 municipalities and one city.  The area serves as the upper catchment of 25 watersheds and a source of water for domestic, agricultural, commercial and industrial uses.  It is home to almost 200,000 people, more than 90% of whom are dependent on the forest and other natural resources for food, medicine, fuel and livelihood.

Project Accomplishments

 ·        Attended the Senate hearing of the SINP Bill on 29 January 2008

·        Monitored four (4) Biodiversity Monitoring System (BMS) sites and installed permanent markers in two (2) BMS sites (Cagpanit-an, Mondragon within Pambujan Watershed and San Isidro, Las Navas in Catubig Watershed)

·        Conducted small group meeting to discuss the existing functional relationship of the PASu, CENRO and PENRO held on 13 March 2008

·        Conducted the Land-Use Planning Workshop for Paranas, Samar and Lawaan, Northern Samar

·        On-going landscaping and construction of access road in relation to the establishment of SINP Visitors’ Center