MANILA, Philippines—With over 14,000 species of plants, the Philippines is an 'oasis of botanical treasure,' but as the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) had stressed, some have toxic substances that can be dangerous if handled the wrong way. According to the National Museum, the thousands of species of plants in the Philippines account for two-thirds of the earth's biodiversity. Over half of the 14,000, it said, are endemic, or are found only in the country. Some of them are even considered 'medicinal' by the Philippine Institute of Traditional and Alternative Medicine, with the Department of Science and Technology even looking at the anti-COVID properties of lagundi, tawa-tawa and coconut.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1793458/natl-poison-prevention-week-know-your-toxic-plants-their-uses

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