SAYING the time has come to save Panaon Island in the southern tip of Southern Leyte, lawmakers have joined hands with international nongovernment organization Oceana to mount a photo exhibit capturing the breathtaking beauty of its biodiversity, in hopes of getting it declared by law as the Panaon Island Protected Seascape (PIPS).
The island has coral reefs with up to 60 percent of very good coral cover, way above the national average of only 20 percent, according to briefing notes provided to media.
The proposed seascape, PIPS, has an area of about 61,204 hectares, or 612.04 sq km covering the municipalities of Liloan, San Francisco, Pintuyan and San Ricardo in Southern Leyte.
On May 15, the House of Representative’s Committee on Natural Resources provisionally approved the consolidated bill for the proposed Panaon Island seascape law pending the submission of a minor revision to the technical description from the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority (Namria). The mapping authority committed to submitting this by next week.
On Tuesday the photo exhibit, “Panahon ng Panaon,” was launched—with the awesome images on display represented in this page by BusinessMirror’s Nonoy Lacza.
Oceana and Southern Leyte Second District Rep. Christopherson “Coco” Yap led those expressing optimism that the House of Representatives will pass the bill declaring Panaon Island as a protected seascape within this year.
They were joined by Nueva Ecija Fourth District Rep. Emerson Emeng Pascual, Cebu Second District Rep. Eduardo Roa Rama Jr., Bukidnon Fourth District Rep. Laarni Lavin Roque, Oceana Acting Vice President Atty. Rose Liza Eisma Osorio, and Assistant Director Armida Andres of Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Biodiversity Management Bureau.
In filing his bill, Yap said Panaon Island is located at the southern tip of Southern Leyte, which boast of coral reefs that are in good to excellent condition—a rarity in the country nowadays.
“Identified as part of the priority reefs that will highly likely withstand the devastating impacts of climate change, the urgency to protect the reefs of Panaon Island is highly emphasized,” Yap said.
For her part, Southern Leyte First District Rep. Luz Mercado, one of the authors of the bill, said the establishment of the Panaon Island Protected Seascape is pursuant to the declared policy of the State to advance and protect the constitutional right to a balanced and healthful ecology in accord with the rhythm and harmony of nature of all the Filipino people of present for future generations.
Mercado added that the State shall protect the nation’s marine wealth in its archipelagic waters, territorial sea and exclusive economic zone, and reserve its use and enjoyment exclusively to Filipino citizens, the objective of the Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System Act.
“We need to have more marine protected areas, with our country having only 1.4 percent of our waters up to 200 nautical miles protected under the National Integrated Protected Areas System, as of 2020,” she said.
Mercado said marine protected areas play a pivotal role in rebuilding fisheries, fighting overfishing, promoting food and nutritional security and strengthening climate mitigation and adaptation measures.
“With the Philippines considered among the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, the country needs more well-managed marine reserves that may help marine ecosystems and people adapt to five prominent impacts of climate change: acidification, sea-level rise, intensification of storms, shifts in species distribution, and decreased productivity and oxygen availability, as well as their cumulative effects,” Mercado added.
Image credits: Nonoy Lacza
