TACLOBAN CITY – The House of Representatives has approved on third and final reading a bill declaring the more than 60,000 hectares of waters surrounding Panaon Island located in the southern tip of Southern Leyte as a protected seascape under the Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System Act.  

Once enacted into law, comprehensive protection measures for the diverse ecosystems within the region will be instituted, such as the formulation of a management plan and strengthened regulations to prevent overfishing, illegal fishing, habitat destruction, and other activities detrimental to the marine environment.

The declaration of Panaon Island Protected Seascape also sets the framework that will ensure sustainable ecotourism and livelihood activities that balance socio-economic development with conservation efforts.  

The bill principally authored by Southern Leyte Reps. Christopherson Yap and Luz Mercado was approved by 247 congressmen and covers the municipalities of Liloan, San Francisco, Pintuyan, and San Ricardo in Southern Leyte.

It has coral reefs with up to 60 percent very good coral cover, way above the national average of around 20 percent.

It is also 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, the largest international advocacy organization dedicated solely to ocean conservation, said that national agencies, local government units, Fisheries Management Area 8 Management Body, non-government organizations, community leaders, artisanal fisherfolk, and citizens have rallied behind the bill.

"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," Oceana Vice President Gloria Estenzo Ramos said.

She added that they are looking forward to the passage of the counterpart bill on Panaon Island in the Senate.

Sen. Cynthia Villar, chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Environment, Natural Resources, and Climate Change, filed Senate Bill 1690 titled 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 or RA 11038.  

“There is a pressing need to declare more protected areas through legislation as a strategy to counteract biodiversity loss. We are hopeful for the passage of the proposed Panaon Island Seascape Act within this 19th Congress,” Villar said.