Aspiring Biosphere Reserve

PART I: SUMMARY

PROPOSED NAME OF THE BIOSPHERE RESERVE:

MATIBAY NA BAYAN NG SABLAYAN BIOSPHERE RESERVE
*The term Matibay na Bayan refers to the strong and resilient municipality in the Province of
Occidental Mindoro

2. NAME OF THE COUNTRY:
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES

3. FULFILLMENT OF THE THREE FUNCTIONS OF BIOSPHERE RESERVES:

3.1 “Conservation - contribute to the conservation of landscapes, ecosystems, species and
genetic variation”

The proposed Matibay na Bayan ng Sablayan Biosphere Reserve is the central municipality of the Province of Occidental Mindoro. It lies geographically between 120 45’ and 130 10’ latitude, and 1200 45’ and 1210 15’ longitude; and is bounded on the north by the Municipality of Santa Cruz in the Province of Occidental Mindoro, and the Municipalities of Baco, Naujan, Victoria and Socorro in the Province of Oriental Mindoro; on the east by the Municipalities of    Pinamalayan, Gloria, Bansud, Bongabong and Mansalay in the Province of Oriental Mindoro; on the west by Mindoro Strait; and on the south by the Municipality of Calintaan in the Province of Occidental Mindoro. It is about 87.80 kilometers south of Mamburao, the provincial capital, and 87.60 kilometers north of San Jose, the business and financial center of the Province. (See Map 1)

Sablayan has 22 duly constituted barangays. Ten of these are located along the coastline and classified as coastal barangays (Buenavista, Burgos, Claudio Salgado, General Emilio Aguinaldo, Ibud, Ligaya, Poblacion, Santa Lucia, San Nicolas, and Santo Niño). At the same time, seven are forest fringe (Batong Buhay, Burgos, Ligaya, Malisbong, Pagasa, San Agustin, and Tuban), and the rest are interior barangays (Ilvita, Lagnas, Paetan, San Francisco, San Vicente, Tagumpay, and Victoria). The municipal terrain is characterized by successive mountain ranges, stretching from rolling to steep, very steep, and serrated ridges, between which occur deep-sided canyons, intermittent valleys, and elongated plateaus. Level and rolling plains are found along the coastal regions. Elevation ranges from 1.52 meters to 2,200 meters above sea level. Upland and undulating areas at 8-18 percent slopes, approximately covering 1,775 hectares, are prevalent in Barangays Buenavista, Poblacion, San Vicente, Santa Lucia, and Santo Nino; while those of 18 percent and above slopes cover Barangays Batong Buhay, Burgos, Ligaya, Pagasa, and San Agustin. According to the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (see PIDS Basics on Philippine climatology 2005, vol. 5, no. 2, page 2, Annex VIII, BR Annexes), Sablayan falls under the first climatic type, characterized by two distinct seasons: a dry season from November to April and a wet season from May to October. The western parts of Luzon, Mindoro, Negros, and Palawan also experience this climate. Mountain ranges shield these areas but are open to rains brought in by the Habagat and tropical cyclones. The annual average rainfall is 200 mm; the peak occurs from July to September, at 449 mm, while the lowest occurs from February to March, at 10 mm.