Justification for Outstanding Universal Value

Satements of authenticity and/or integrity

The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Region XII Ligawasan Marsh Development Master Plan (1999-2025) recommends that it should be accorded immediate protection and conservation prior to any development planning and intervention. The Protected Area Suitability Assessment (PASA) was  undertaken by the Philippine Government -  as the answer and called for in that plan that is to protect and conserve the rich natural resources and secure the biodiversity of Ligawasan Marsh. The PASA started last March 2001  and ended on March 2002 conducted by Winrock International with the consortium of local Non-Government Organizations such as the MINSUPALA Foundation, Inc. and the Maguindanaon Development Foundation, Inc. with the facilitation and guidance of regional offices of DENR and ARMM. The approach is simple, convergence of major efforts of multi-sectoral stakeholders in order to sustain/maintain the Ligawasan Marsh biodiversity and be socially acceptable by the local communities.

Comparison with other similar properties

Ligawasan Marsh is the largest swamp and marsh area in Mindanao and one of the largest in the Philippines (PASA Final Report 2002). With an estimated area of 288,000 hectares, of this 43,900 hectares was declared as Game Refuge and Bird Sanctuary (FAO No. 19, 1941).  It encompasses three (3) provinces (Maguindanao, North Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat) and straddles to three (3) regions (Region XI, ARMM, and Region XII), and is a conglomeration of three (3) marshes namely: Libungan, Ebpanan and Ligawasan proper.  It covers twenty (20) municipalities, and one (1) city with a total population of 1,094,170 (Census 2000) who are predominantly Maguindanaon Muslims, they called themselves, before the advent of Islam and Christianity, as the "people of the flooded plains".  Ligawasan Marsh is identified as rural in nature, limited access to social services has often attributed mainly to peace and order problem.

The Ligawasan Marsh is also identified as a distinct and unique region among the 15 Bio-Geographic regions in the Philippines much bigger than the Agusan Marsh in Northern Mindanao, Philippines

The poem

THE ROAD NOT TAKEN by Robert Frost (1874-1963)

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Brief History

The province of Agusan del Sur once shared one governance with its sister province, Agusan del Norte. However, Republic Act 4969, enacted on June 17, 1967, divided the Agusan province into two: Agusan del Sur and Agusan del Norte.

Agusan’s pre-hispanic history was greatly influenced by the Madjapahit Empire. This can be attested through the discovery of the Golden Tara in 1960, in one of its towns, which is Maasam, Esperanza. The 8-inches gold image, that was retrieved along the river of Esperanza, originated from the Madjapahit Empire.

The aborigines of Agusan were the ancestors of the present-day Mamanwas who were driven to the hinterlands by the waves of Malay immigrants from nearby Borneo, Celebes and Malaysia. These people, in turn, sought the protection of the interior jungles because of the forays and the constant raids of Moros. Being a sea-faring people, they confined themselves to the coastal areas where they started settlements, leaving the forestall area to the other native tribes.

The Adventurist

Introduction:
Agusan Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary, protected by law, covers an area of 14,835.989 hectares. The area was given Ramsar site status in 1999.

It is a vast complex of freshwater marshes and watercourses with numerous small shallow lakes and ponds in the upper basin of the Agusan River and its tributaries which rise in the hills of eastern Mindanao. Some parts of the marsh are used for traditional fish ponds and rice paddies. The site acts as storage for rain water and reduces the immediate downstream flow of flood water into Butuan City.

Agusan Marsh is one of the largest and the most contained freshwater catch basin wetland in the Philippines. The main habitats of the marsh include freshwater swamp forest (49%), secondary scrub (14%), herbaceous swamp (7%), lakes, pools and rivers (10%), rice paddies and other agricultural land (6%), and small settlements (6%).

The Marsh is a valuable habitat for water birds such as species of wild ducks, herons and egrets. It is also the refuge of the rare Oriental Darter (Anhinga melanogaster) and Purple Swamp Hen (Porphyrio porphyrio) and the threatened Philippine Hawk Eagle, Spotted Imperial Pigeon and Rufous-lored Kingfisher.

Agusan del Sur is a landlocked province of the Philippines located in the Caraga region in Mindanao. Its capital is Prosperidad and borders, from the north clockwise, Agusan del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Davao Oriental, Compostela Valley, Davao del Norte, Bukidnon, and Misamis Oriental. There are five tribal groups in the province: Aeta, Mamanwa, Bagobo, Higaonon, and Manobo. The Manobos live along the national highway and river towns towards the boundary with the Compostela Valley. The Higaonons live mostly on the western side of Agusan River, generally in Esperanza towards the boundary with Bukidnon. The Agusan del Sur population is predominantly composed of immigrants from the Visayas. Intermarriages between immigrants and natives have pulled down the percentage of the lumad stock.

Agusan march

ROMOTING ECO-TOURISM: A Tool for Development .

We the indigenous people and community leaders of Agusan Marsh are engaging sustainable issues and challenges. Through our ecotourism intiative, we are promoting a deeper understanding that relates to environment conservation, cultural understanding, examples of sustainable livelihoods and peace. Ecotourists, nature and culture lovers will expereince years of unexplored, extensive and fascinating discovery of the wetlands of Mindanao. We offer ecotourism either alone or in guided groups. The ecotourism provided will help create sustainable income and revenue generation opportunities for our communities. We offer a great attraction to hikers and visitors, both local and international. Its indeed a great experience in ecotourism with added value of what we call: A great ECO-ADVENTURE in a lifetime.
AGUSAN DEL SUR