Elmer Recuerdo
TACLOBAN CITY – The preservation of rich biodiversity site in Southern Leyte gets a significant stride after the House of Representatives passed on third and final reading the bill declaring the area as a protected seascape under the Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System Act.
When passed into law, comprehensive protection measures for the diverse ecosystems within the over 60,000 hectares of waters surrounding Panaon Island at the tip of Southern Leyte be instituted, such as formulation of a management plan and strengthened regulations to prevent overfishing, illegal fishing, habitat destruction, and other activities detrimental to the marine environment.
The bill, principally authored by Southern Leyte representatives Christopherson Yap and Luz Mercado of the second and first districts, respectively, has 106 co-authors including Speaker Martin Romualdez and Natural Resources Committee chair Elpidio Barzaga, Jr. The bill was approved by the lower House last November 29.
Environmental advocacy group Oceana, which lobbies for its passage into law, said the declaration of Panaon Island Protected Seascape sets the framework that will ensure sustainable ecotourism and livelihood activities that balance socio-economic development with conservation efforts.
The Panaon Island Protected Seascape covers the municipalities of Liloan, San Francisco, Pintuyan, and San Ricardo in the Province of Southern Leyte. It has coral reefs with up to 60% of very good coral cover, way above the national average of around 20% and is home to endangered species listed under the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species like whale sharks and sea turtles.
Oceana Vice President Atty. Gloria Estenzo Ramos said the declaration of Panaon Island as a protected seascape is supported by different national agencies, local government units, Fisheries Management Area 8 Management Body, nongovernment organizations, community leaders, and artisanal fisherfolk.
“Their unwavering support is crucial in highlighting the importance of preserving the natural beauty and ecological balance of Panaon Island. The passage of the bill at the HoR is a testament that through collaborative efforts we can achieve more in protecting our vital marine ecosystems for the present and future generations,” she said.
Ramos added that these groups are also looking forward to the passage of the counterpart bill on Panaon Island in the Senate.
Senator Cynthia Villar, chair of the Senate Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Climate Change filed Senate Bill 1690, titled as the “Panaon Island Protected Seascape Act of 2023”, to declare Panaon Island as a protected seascape under the Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System Act, RA 11038.
Villar earlier said that she is hopeful for the passage of the proposed Panaon Island Seascape Act within the 19th Congress.
“There is a pressing need to declare more protected areas through legislation as a strategy to counteract biodiversity loss,” Villar said citing Oceana’s expedition in 2021 wherein marine treasures of Panaon, from untouched coral reefs to diverse marine life were documented.
“These discoveries underscore the need to include Panaon Island under the protective framework of the Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System (ENIPAS) Act, RA 11038,” she said.
Oceana said that with Senator Villar at the helm of efforts to protect Panasonic Island in the Senate, the island will soon have the management mechanisms that will pave the way for a truly resilient and healthy ecosystem that provides a rich source of nutrients, sustenance and livelihood for its people while mitigating the impacts of climate change.