The Republic of the Philippines is an archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. It consists of over 7,600 islands spanning a total area of 300,000 square kilometers. The three main island groups are, from north to south: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. The nation’s capital is the city of Manila in Luzon. 

 

The Philippines is one of the 17 megadiverse countries of the world, hosting an astonishing diversity of endemic flora and fauna. Most of the islands are volcanic, having been formed only around 30 million years ago through volcanic activity in the sea floor. The total terrestrial and aquatic biodiversity recorded in the Philippines is estimated to be as high as 54,000 species. However, scientists believe that this is a conservative estimate. Past biodiversity surveys conducted in remote areas of the country described many species new to science. Scientists believe that many more species remain to be discovered, most especially in unexplored and incompletely surveyed areas of the country.

 

The Philippines houses at least 1,166 species of terrestrial vertebrates, which includes 326 reptiles, 115 amphibians, 235 mammals, and 725 birds. Of these, approximately 62% (or 727 species) are endemic to the Philippines. The country houses the well-known critically endangered Philippine eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi), which is considered to be the second-largest eagle in the world. Other notable terrestrial vertebrates include the tamaraw or dwarf water buffalo (Bubalus mindorensis), Visayan spotted deer (Rusa alfredi), golden-capped fruit bat (Acerodon jubatus), Philippine crocodile (Crocodylus mindorensis), and the Philippine tarsier (Carlito syrichta).

 

Marine biodiversity is also particularly impressive, as the archipelago is nestled within the Coral Triangle. The Verde Island Passage is widely recognized as “the center of the center of marine biodiversity” in the world. The Philippines contains hundreds of species of corals, reef-associated fishes, mollusks, and algae. Records show that there are about 3,212 fish species in the country. The Tubbataha Reef is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in the heart of the Sulu Sea. This atoll reef contains a high density of marine species, while also acting as the habitat for several endangered marine animals. 

 

The Philippines boasts a flora just as diverse as its faunistic profile. Being part of the Malaysian Phytogeographic zone, Philippine flora closely resembles that of the Malaysian archipelago, while also containing numerous indigenous and rare plant species. One such endemic species of note is Rafflesia consueloae, a species known for being the smallest Rafflesia flower in the world. There are about 9,250 vascular plant species native to the Philippines, with about one third of those being endemic to the archipelago. The Philippines is home many plant families and genera, such as 150 species of palm and over 1,000 species of orchids. To support its rich biodiversity, the Philippines also contains a diverse array of ecosystems, such as mangrove swamps, cogon grass fields, and mountain forests, just to name a few. 

Beyond the diversity in mountains, seas, and rivers, Philippine biodiversity is also prominent in the urban setting. This is particularly true for the Ateneo de Manila campus, the host university of IBO 2025. The campus houses a bustling greenery amidst the busy megapolis that is Quezon City. For one, Hydraena ateneo, or fondly called the ‘Ateneo beetle’, was discovered by a research group from the Department of Biology in 2013. The university has an inventory of trees, birds, amphibians, reptiles, and butterflies and moths among other life forms on campus through the citizen science social media-based platform The Ateneo Wild. Some of these are featured in The Ateneo Wild Coloring Books, which are being used to educate the community about urban biodiversity.