Environmental organizations involved in preserving Palawan’s biodiversity stated on Tuesday that the idea of Palawan being fully resilient to the effects of climate change compared to other places in the country is a misconception, as its Biosphere Reserve status does not shield it from being affected by rising global temperatures.
During the celebration of Earth Day 2025, the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development Staff (PCSDS), Palawan Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO), and the Puerto Princesa City Environment and Natural Resources Office (City ENRO) gave a general presentation on their work in Palawan, highlighting its Biosphere Reserve (BR) status and the effects of climate change in the province.
PCSDS representative JB Mamaid introduced the Climate Change Act of 2009 to an audience composed of mallgoers, students from Palawan National School, members of the Sangguniang Kabataan council of Brgy. Sicsican, and Girl Scouts of the Philippines – Palawan chapter.
He pointed out that Palawan was the only Biosphere Reserve (BR) in the country that topped the heat index charts for two years in a row.
Other places, such as the Puerto Galera BR on the island of Mindoro and the proposed Camarines Sur BR in Albay, did not consistently reach temperatures of 42–43 degrees Celsius as parts of Palawan and Puerto Princesa did during the hot months.
Mamaid noted that the province’s geography contributed to this high heat index value.
“Ayon po sa PAGASA kapag tayo ay napapaligiran ng karagatan mas tumataas ang humidity… mas maalinsangan, kahit yung hangin mainit sa pakiramdam,” he said.
The Palawan PDRRMO also stated that Palawan’s biodiversity is the main reason why it is considered vulnerable in the first place.
“Vulnerable pa din ang Palawan sa climate change dahil tayo ay isang biodiversity hotspot. Bagamat mayaman tayo sa likas na yaman at biodiversity, sensitibo ang ating mga ecosystem tulad ng coral reef, mangrove forest, at tropical rainforest sa pag-init ng klima, ocean acidification, at pagbabago sa pattern ng ulan.”
Ren Maurice Alaba and Alyssa Marie Reyes of the Palawan PDRRMO also presented their department’s work to those present, which included members of the Marine Battalion Landing Team Nine (MBLT-9).
Disaster risk reduction and management techniques were applied due to a combination of hazards, vulnerability, and exposure.
Alaba compared the difference using an example—people were exposed to disasters because their house was built in a landslide area, but they were also considered vulnerable to disasters because their house was made of light materials.
“There’s no such thing as ‘natural disaster’, because hazards are natural, disasters are not,” he said.
He emphasized the importance of a DRRM plan for every area in order to capacitate the locals to protect their own, and urged the audience to spread cautiousness and knowledge on the matter.
