BRIEF DESCRIPTION

1. For National Park:

Source: REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7586
Section 4

National park refers to a forest reservation essentially of natural

wilderness character which has been withdrawn from settlement, occupancy
or any form of exploitation except in conformity with approved management
plan and set aside as such exclusively to conserve the area or preserve the
scenery, the natural and historic objects, wild animals and plants therein and
to provide enjoyment of these features in such areas;
Natural park is a relatively large area not materially altered by human
activity where extractive resource uses are not allowed and maintained to
protect outstanding natural and scenic areas of national or international
significance for scientific, educational and recreational use;

Source: Legal Framework for Protected Areas: Philippines (Case

Study)
(par. 29) For the purposes of the NIPAS Act, national park is a broad
category of public land under which all protected areas are included, rather
than a separate protected area management category. This is in keeping with
the Constitutional mandate to designate national parks in public land. From
the standpoint of the classification of public lands, it is understood that the
terms protected area and national park are synonymous.

2. For Local Conservation Areas/ Community-based

conservation areas
Source: Legal Framework for Protected Areas: Philippines (Case
Study)
2.4 Types of governance for the protected areas system
(par. 26) There are many examples of community-based conservation
areas, especially in the coastal sector. Local villagers delineate small areas
as community conservation areas with the help of academic or
nongovernment institutions. In recent years, these marine protected areas
have been recognized by local governments. Local governments have also
seized on the initiative to partner with local communities to set up more
marine protected areas, formalized through local ordinances. These marine
protected areas are not the protected areas contemplated under the NIPAS
Act and do not form part of the national integrated system. Rather, the legal
mandate of the local governments stems from the Fisheries Code, giving
them the power to delineate fish sanctuaries.
(par. 27) Ancestral domains are essentially community conservation
areas. Under the 2007 DENR-NCIP joint circular, it appears that the DENR
now recognizes that primary responsibility for protected areas that are also
recognized as ancestral domain lies with the indigenous people claimants.

3. For Ecotourism Area:

Source: Legal Framework for Protected Areas: Philippines (Case
Study)
13 Activities within protected areas
Except for land and resource uses by indigenous peoples, which require a
different set of permitting rules, all allowable activities in protected areas
must be subject to regulation and permission by the DENR. Special uses
require a special use agreement in protected areas. Special uses include:
ecotourism facilities, camp sites, communication facilities, transmission
lines, irrigation canals and waterways, rights-of-way, aquaculture, scientific
monitoring stations, agroforestry, and forest plantations. The allowable
special uses depend on the category of the protected area and the
restrictions that apply to zones within the protected area.

4.For Environmental Estate

Source: Proclamation No. 718, s. 1996
the City of Puerto Princesa has emerged as prime mover in ecological
preservation and sustainable economic development and is being developed
as a world class, park-like city, preserved and promoted as a pristine
sanctuary for nature and as gateway for eco-tourism in Asia
the City of Puerto Princesa intends to develop the 1,072 hectares as a
model of an environmental estate, by which estate locators will be chosen
for their direct involvement in eco-tourism and for their demonstrated
commercial enterprises that achieve sustainable development in the
utilization of natures bounty
the environmental estate will include educational facilities and programs
by which young Filipinos will become trained and inspired ambassadors of
environmentalism in other parts of the Philippines and in the world.
The City Government of Puerto Princesa shall undertake conversion of the
area into an environmental estate which shall serve as a model of
conservation and a center of tourism and instruction, while providing
sustainable livelihood opportunities.

Supplemental:
Table 2: Comparative features of protected area categories under IUCN
and the NIPAS Act

IUCN category NIPAS Act (sections 3 Remarks

and 4)
Ia. Strict nature Strict nature reserve Most restrictive category under
reserve the NIPAS Act that allows only
scientific use for the area
Ib. Wilderness area Included in strict nature reserve
II. National park Natural park Essentially similar ; national
park is a term used in the
Philippine Constitution to
designate a particular category of
public lands that includes all
protected areas, which is why it
is not used as a category in the
NIPAS Act
III. Natural Natural monument Essentially the same
monument
IV. Habitat/species Wildlife sanctuary Essentially the same
management area
V. Protected Protected landscape/ The NIPAS Act emphasizes
landscape/ seascape seascape opportunities for recreation and
tourism
VI. Managed Natural biotic area The NIPAS Act emphasizes the
resource protected preservation of indigenous
area culture associated with the area