At long last, after 25 years since it was declared by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as a Biosphere Reserve, Palawan now has an official logo branding it as such. Palawan was chosen as a Man and Biosphere Reserve under UNESCO’s Man and Biosphere (MAB) Reserve Program because of its potential to showcase the co-existence of sustainable development and protection of the environment.
The MAB Program of UNESCO was established in 1971 as an intergovernmental research program to promote better understanding and knowledge of the interactions between people and their environment. Each biosphere reserve shows the different trends and approaches in balancing environmental conservation and human use of an area. They encourage, exemplify and demonstrate different kinds of community-based initiatives that safe-guard the natural environment while guaranteeing the advancement of development and local economy. To date, there are 651 biosphere reserves in 120 countries included in the World Network of Biosphere Reserves.
The logo was designed by Mr. Neil P. Hofer, a graphics designer and resident of Puerto Princesa City. His design was chosen from more than 40 entries submitted by artists and designers who joined the Palawan Man and Biosphere Reserve logo design contest.