Location
Municipalities of Los Banos, Bay and Calamba in Laguna and Sto. Tomas in Batangas
Area:
42.44 sq km
Date declared as an AHP:
25 September 2013, at the 4th Informal Ministerial Meeting, Surabaya, Indonesia
Contact information
Nathaniel C. Bantayan
AHP Manager
Tel.: +63 49 536 3572
E-mail: ncbantayan@up.edu.ph
Unique Flora: Diplodiscus paniculatus, Celtis luzonica, Canarium luzonicum, Parashorea malaanonan, Pisonia, umbellifera, Iospyros blancoi, Ficus subcordata, Chisocheton cumingianus, subsp. Cumingianus, Knema glomerata, Diospyros pyrrhocarpa
Unique Fauna: Philippine calotes or Calotes marmoratus, amphibian Phuilautis surdus, Sus philippinensis, Cervus mariabbus, bat species, Megaderma spasma, Ryssota otaheitana (bayuko)
From the educational and scientific viewpoint, Mount Makiling is the most well-known among the Philippine mountains. This is where most of the country’s foresters have learned the basics of their science, as the mountain has served as a research laboratory for the College of Forestry since 1910.Presently, it continues to serve as an outdoor laboratory for professional instruction and research in forestry and related sciences.
The Mount Makiling Forest Reserve continues to serve as a recreational area for the general public, being the nearest mountain to Metro Manila. It isa favorite tourist spot because of its vegetation, unique landscape features, boiling mud, and hot springs.. Among the most frequented areas inside this forest reserveinclude the Makiling Botanic Gardens, Flatrocks, Mudsprings, Makiling Rainforest Park, and the summit, or Peak 2.