STRONGER protection measures for more threatened wildlife species and key biodiversity areas in the Philippines has moved a step closer with the recent approval by the bicameral conference committee of the Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System (E-Nipas) bill.
The top biodiversity official of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) last Sunday lauded the bicameral conference committee’s approval of the Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System (Nipas) bill.
“We are very happy with this development and look forward to its eventual passage into law and its implementation. We expect that more resources can now be made available to strengthen biodiversity protection in the 94 new protected areas,” Director Theresa Mundita S. Lim of the DENR’s Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMB) told the BusinessMirror in an interview.
In a Facebook post last Wednesday, Lim posed and took “groufies” photo with lawmakers to express her appreciation.
“Thank you to our Protected area Champions in the Senate, Senators Loren Legarda, Cynthia Villar, Juan Miguel Zubiri, Jayvee Ejercito, and in the House, Reps Josephine Sato, Arnel Ty, Rodel Batocabe, Orestes Salon, for passing the E-Nipas in the bicam today!” she said.
Once enacted into law, E-Nipas will increase the number of protected areas (PAs) covered by legislation from 13 to 107, with the additional 94 PAs being covering a total of 3 million hectares being added to the list, Lim said.
She added the E-Nipas will define the permanent boundaries of the areas set aside for conservation.
“We have high hopes that this legislation will act as a better deterrent against the wanton destruction of our important biodiversity areas and, at the same time, help increase the appreciation of the Filipinos on the tangible and non-tangible benefits from the effective management of our national parks,” Lim added.
In a statement, one of the principal authors of the bill, Occidental Mindoro Rep. Josephine Y. Ramirez- Sato said the approval by the bicameral conference committee last Wednesday will ensure that a bigger budget will be allocated for the management of 107 PAs.
“Increasing budget allocation for protected areas means stronger protection for our threatened plant and animal wildlife,” Sato said.
Sato also said the ENIPAS will make the Philippines an inch closer to narrowing the biodiversity financing gap.
Once enacted into law, these PAs will be “off limits” to mining and other destructive development projects.
More important, Sato said the ENIPAS increases the budget for PAs from P65 million per year to possibly P535 million, an increase of approximately 823 percent in the annual General Appropriations Act (GAA).
“With this, our threatened animal and plant wildlife will have a bigger chance of surviving, and hopefully, thriving in the future,” said Sato, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) biodiversity finance legislative champion in the House of Representatives.
The UNDP, which initiated the Biodiversity Finance Initiative (Biofin), said it is imperative that measures be put in place to conserve the country’s rich biodiversity.
The Philippine Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (PBSAP) 2015-2028 has been put in place by the Philippine government but to implement the PBSAP, a P24-billion budget is required annually.
The current level of spending on biodiversity is only at P5 billion per year, which leaves an 80-percemt financing gap.
Other salient features of the bill, Lim said, include expansion of PAMB membership; creation of PA Office and sufficient number of staff with permanent plantilla position; reiterates retention of 75 percent of PA income and clarifies utilization of 25 percent of the collection; renewable energy may be allowed by the PAMB, nonrewenable energy outrightly prohibited in natural parks and strict nature reserves; tax exemptions for grants, bequests, donations, and contributions made to IPAF; wider coverage of Prohibited Acts; imposition of higher fines and penalties; and emphasizes administrative and criminal liabilities of local government units in case of failure to enforce or implement.
With the approval of E-Nipas by the bicameral conference committee, the next step is for the new version to be sent back to the Senate and the House and Representatives for ratification. Once ratified, the bill will be up for transmittal to Malacañang for the president’s approval.