TACLOBAN CITY – The provincial government of Samar has officially submitted the nomination dossier for Samar Island Natural Park (SINP) to the National Commission of the Philippines for UNESCO (UNACOM), marking a key step toward international recognition of one of the country’s most significant natural areas.

Once UNACOM approves the submission, the dossier will be forwarded to the UNESCO World Heritage Center in Paris, France, as the Philippines’ official nomination under the World Heritage Convention.

“The submission concludes eight years of scientific research, documentation, consultations, and inter-provincial coordination, aimed at meeting UNESCO’s rigorous standards for natural heritage inscription,” the Samar provincial government said in a statement Thursday.

Preparatory work for the nomination began in 2018, followed by a comprehensive biodiversity assessment in 2021. In 2024, SINP was formally added to the Philippines’ Tentative List—a required step before a World Heritage nomination can be submitted. The finalized dossier was submitted in 2026, ahead of UNESCO’s deadline.

The nomination is being led by the Samar provincial government in partnership with the University of Santo Tomas – Center for Conservation of Cultural Property and Environment in the Tropics, and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources 8 (Eastern Visayas). It also has the backing of the provincial governments of Northern Samar and Eastern Samar.

Additional collaborators include the Department of Tourism 8, Samar State University, Northwest Samar State University, local government units, scientific experts, civil society organizations, and community stakeholders.

SINP is renowned for its extensive primary forests, critical watersheds, endemic plant and animal species, and distinctive geological features, making it one of the Philippines’ most important natural areas.

Officials said the nomination highlights the Philippines’ ongoing commitment to biodiversity conservation, heritage protection, and sustainable development.

With the dossier now bound for Paris, SINP will enter the next stage of technical evaluation by UNESCO, bringing the park one step closer to potential inscription on the World Heritage List.