The rare JC's Vine has been spotted blooming along the trails inside the Masungi Geopark in Tanay, Rizal.
The Masungi Georeserve Foundation shared some photos of the eye-catching vine on its Facebook page on Tuesday.
"The flowering season of this rare vine in Masungi is between the months of March and May. The first batch has already flowered, and more will bloom next month," it captioned.
According to a wildlife sanctuary, the JC's Vine, also known by its scientific name Strongylodon juangonzalezii was reportedly spotted in only four sites in the country and the world since it was first discovered in 2015.
It said this endemic species is remarkable due to its "plagiotropic dense inflorescence with 27 to 31 flowers per cluster on a lateral branch", adding that the flowers will progressively turn blue from the lilac.
In the same post, the Masungi Georeserve Foundation called on lawmakers and the public to help them protect the ecologically important landscape from dangerous activities and developments.
The recent threats to the landscape were last February when the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) declared that it will construct a new headquarters at Masungi Geopark's land. But after the contention from the public and various environmental organizations, BuCor said its proposed plan "will no longer push through."
The Masungi Georeserve Foundation said some Senators would visit the land after the Holy week in line with their investigation on the reported threats.
