Manila, Sept. 11 -- The Philippines is set to tie Vietnam for the most ASEAN Heritage Parks (AHPs) in the region, with Mount Balatukan Range Natural Park endorsed as the country's 15th site pending final "ad referendum approval" from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Ministerial Meeting on the Environment.

In a news release Friday, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources said the pending announcement would increase the current number of protected areas in the ASEAN region to 71.

During the ASEAN Heritage Parks Forum 2026 on Wednesday, the DENR said that being a global biodiversity hotspot, the designation of ASEAN Heritage Parks (AHPs) holds immense ecological, cultural and economic significance for the Phil...