Panaon Island in San Francisco, Southern Leyte is now the focus of several environmental groups and local officials, as they unite to have the island declared by Congress as a protected seascape.
In a recent statement, lawyer Jam Colas-Villaber, Eastern Visayas Regional Development Council secretary and National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) Assistant Regional Director, said the highest policy-making body of the region has been lobbying for the passage of the proposed legislation in the Senate.
“This is a crucial step to safeguard the preservation and sustainable management of the island’s unique marine biodiversity for future generations,” Villaber said.
Department of Tourism Eastern Visayas Assistant Regional Director Boris Pascubillo said protecting Panaon Island is essential to preserving its natural beauty and sustaining local livelihoods.
“We fully support the bill to protect Panaon Island, and we are optimistic this legislation will contribute to improving our tourism efforts. Not only is it a part of Sogod Bay, it’s also a true gem among the Philippines’ dive spots and deserves much attention and protection,” Pascubillo added.
According to locals, protecting Panaon Island means protecting their livelihood.
“Our income from fishing and tourism, such as whale shark watching in Panaon Island, has been helpful to our families. We need more support to protect our whale sharks and corals since this is the source of our livelihood,” said Raul Cordova, village chief of Son-ok in Pintuyan town.
Oceana, a leading international marine conservation organization, said Panaon Island boasts of sustainable whale shark watching—one managed by locals in a way that does not disrupt their natural feeding cycles and seasons.
Community leaders, local officials, advocates, and concerned citizens have been rallying behind a legislative effort to designate Panaon Island in Southern Leyte as a protected area under the Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System Act or Republic Act 11038.
"The immediate approval of this bill is crucial for the sustainable management and long-term protection of Panaon Island," said Oceana vice president Gloria Estenzo Ramos.
"The local fishermen are well-versed in what they need to protect their own already. This legislation will empower them through local governance, stronger law enforcement, and ensure that national agencies and local governments can work together to be responsible stewards of these vital resources," she added.
In November 2023, the House of Representatives passed the bill protecting Panaon Island on its third reading.
Backed by Senator Cynthia Villar and national conservation leaders, the bill’s passage through the Senate would mark a pivotal step in realizing the Philippines' commitment to the global “30x30” conservation goal of protecting 30 percent of the nation’s terrestrial and marine areas by 2030.
(With report from PNA)
Photo courtesy: PNA
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