Historical Perspective and Land Area

On May 9, 1936 , Mt. Apo was declared as National Park by President Manuel L. Quezon through Presidential Proclamation No. 59 with an aggregate area of 76,900 hectares. On May 5, 1957 , President Carlos P. Garcia issued Proclamation No. 413 which amended Proclamation No. 59 and converted some 3,946 hectares into agricultural areas - reducing the park's land area to 72,954 hectares. Another 140.41 hectares were sliced-out for agricultural purposes in July 28, 1965 by virtue of Proclamation 424 - reducing the park's land area to 72,813 hectares. In December 16, 1965 President Diosdado Macapagal issued an amendment to Proclamation No. 59 through Proclamation 507-A which limit Mt. Apo 's permanent forest reserve to 33,736 hectares. Proclamation 507-A was revoked by President Ferdinand Marcos through Proclamation 35 dated May 8,1966 and restored Mt. Apo 's land area to 72,813 hectares. In March 29, 1983 Proclamation 2282 of President Ferdinand E. Marcos declared some 44,771 hectares of the park as alienable and disposable which decreased the park's land area to 25,041 hectares. However in June 17, 1986 Presidential Memorandum Order 17 of President Corazon C. Aquino reverted the alienable and disposable portions back to the park. Under Proclamation 853 issued by President Corazon C. Aquino on January 30, 1992 , 701 hectares was excluded from the park as geothermal reservation reducing the park area to 72,112 hectares. On September 24, 1996 , President Fidel Ramos issued Proclamation 882 declaring Mt.Apo as protected area under the category of natural park. Under Republic Act 9237otherwise known as Mt. Apo Protected Area Act of 2003, the effective park area was reduced to 54,974 hectares because peripheral areas of the park were established as buffer zones.