Bongsanglay Natural Park

Bongsanglay Natural Park is a protected area of mangrove forests and swamps on Ticao Island in the Bicol Region of the Philippines. It is located in the municipality of Batuan in the island province of Masbate covering an area of. The protected area was established on 29 December 1981 when the area "from Panciscan Point in Bitos Bay up to Bano Sanlay" in Batuan was declared a Mangrove Swamp Forest Reserve under Proclamation No. 2152 signed by President Ferdinand Marcos. In 2000, when President Joseph Estrada signed Proclamation No. 319, Bongsanglay was reclassified as a natural park pursuant to the National Integrated Protected Areas System Act.DescriptionBongsanglay Natural Park is the only remaining primary growth mangrove forest in the Bicol Region as all the other regional mangroves have been replanted. It is located in the barangay of Royroy near the southern tip of Ticao Island by the Biton Bay facing the Ticao Pass and Samar Sea marine corridor. A small fishing community can be found not far from the mangroves. There is also a 1,000-meter canopy walk that traverses the park for patrolling and for ecotourism purposes.