By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet
Recognizing the need to protect landscapes and ecosystems from human activity and urban encroachment, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has signed into law two measures declaring protected areas in Tarlac and Southern Leyte.
Republic Act 12237 declares a parcel of land located in the municipalities of Mayantoc and San Jose in the province of Tarlac, a protected area with the category of protected landscape, to be referred to as the Mt. Sawtooth Protected Landscape.
On the other hand, RA 12238 designates the waters off Panaon Island in Southern Leyte as the Panaon Island Protected Seascape, which preserves some of the most vibrant and biodiverse coral reefs on the planet.
“Protecting the Panaon Seascape is a global achievement in conserving a unique and vital ecosystem, while also securing the well-being of present and future generations,” Oceana Philippines Vice President Von Hernandez said.
“This is one of the rare places where coral reefs remain in excellent condition, and we now have a chance to keep them that way. This policy milestone defends marine biodiversity, enhances food security, and fights poverty,” he added.
Both protected areas would become part of the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS), likewise prompting the creation of the Protected Area Management Board, which will be chaired by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and with provincial government representatives and other concerned offices as its members.
The newly enacted laws will take effect 15 days after publication in the Official Gazette or any newspaper of general circulation.
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