HOUSE Senior Deputy Minority Leader and Mamamayang Liberal (ML) Partylist Rep. Leila de Lima has filed a measure to declare Verde Island Passage (VIP) a protected area, ensuring the livelihoods and food security of coastal communities.
In filing House Bill (HB) No. 8882 or the “Verde Island Passage Protected Seascape (VIPPS) Act”, De Lima seeks to strengthen the protection and sustainable management of the VIP by declaring it a Protected Seascape under the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS).
“The importance of the VIP is uncontested, yet it continues to lack significant legislative protection against environmental degradation caused by increasing industrial developments,” De Lima, an environmental justice advocate, said.
“Protecting Verde Island Passage from ecological ruin is protecting the livelihood and source of food of millions of our countrymen living along its coasts. Immediate legislative intervention to ensure its rehabilitation and conservation is thus crucial,” she added.
Spanning the provinces of Batangas, Marinduque, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro and Romblon, the Verde Island Passage is home to thousands of fish and coral species and is scientifically recognized as the “center of the center of marine shore fish biodiversity”.
According to De Lima, the 2023 MT Princess Empress oil spill, which caused extensive damages amounting to over P40 billion, highlights the persistent environmental risks confronting the VIP.
HB 8882 also cited that intensified commercial fishing and land reclamation activities continue to degrade coastal ecosystems, reduce fish stocks, destroy mangroves and threaten the livelihood of small-scale fishers.
Under De Lima’s proposed measure, the VIPPS Management Board (VIPPS-MB) will be established as the sole policy-making body of the Verde Island Passage Protected Seascape, ensuring representation from fisherfolk, indigenous peoples, academic institutions, the private sector, and the youth.
Moreover, to ensure that management decisions are guided by scientific data rather than political considerations, the bill also mandates the creation of a specialized Fisheries Monitoring Center (FMC) to identify Strict Protection Zones and No-Take Zones through regular scientific assessments and surveys.
If enacted to law, a comprehensive mechanisms will be established to prohibit destructive activities such as large-scale mining, the use of explosives or toxic substances in fishing, and the operation of commercial fishing vessels within designated coastal limits.
“Hindi kailanman magiging katanggap-tanggap ang mga benepisyong hatid ng komersyalisasyon kung kapalit nito ay pagsalaula sa kalikasan at pagkakait sa kabuhayan ng ating mga kababayan, at kung ito ay nagsisilbing banta sa seguridad ng pagkain sa kasalukuyan at susunod na henerasyon,” De Lima stated.
“To achieve long-term sustainability, we must advance environmental protection and community welfare. Let us prevent further ecological and socio-economic losses. Napakayaman at napakaganda ng Verde Island Passage, alagaan at protektahan natin ito,” she added.
About the Author
