The Mount Makiling Forest Reserve (MMFR) is an ASEAN Heritage Park located 14°8′ north and 121°12′ east and lies within the 65 km of Metro Manila. MMFR spans a total of 4,244 hectares, straddling parts of the Los Baños, Bay and Calamba Ciy in the province of Laguna and Sto. Tomas in the province of Batangas. With jurisdiction under the University of the Philippines Los Baños, the reserve is managed by the Makiling Center for Mountain Ecosystems under the College of Forestry and Natural Resources.

MCME is an academic institution committed to generating and strengthening the scientific knowledge for the conservation and sustainable development of tropical mountain ecosystems in partnership with mountain communities. MCME’s mission is to advance knowledge and promote sustainable development of Mt. Makiling and other tropical mountain ecosystems through integrated and participatory research demonstration programs.