Through these programs, the DENR-BMB continues to reach out to its stakeholders and the Filipino people about the importance of our protected areas, government programs and initiatives and the laws that protect these natural wonders.
DEPUTY House Speaker and Antique Representative Loren Legarda has assured the Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Biodiversity Management Bureau (DENR-BMB) of her continuing partnership in the government’s efforts to promote the conservation of the Philippines’ “protected areas.”
Legarda made the statement as she promotes her documentary series “Our Fragile Earth: Protected Areas of the Philippines”, as well as organized the regular webinar series titled, Protected Areas Talk, or P.A. Talk.
"How can we conserve what we do not know about, what we do not understand? Our people’s energies must be used to defend our natural heritage. We must all work together to conserve wildlife and nature and mitigate disasters worsened by climate change. Our survival also depends on how well we understand our surroundings," Loren Legarda said.
Since its inception in 2017, Our Fragile Earth has featured 40 documentaries focusing solely on our protected areas.
Its first installment showcased 12 pilot areas in Occidental Mindoro, Quezon, Cebu, Palawan, Ifugao, South Cotabato, Davao Oriental, Negros Occidental and Batangas. It had a total of five (5) episodes. It had a re-run in July 2018 to highlight the enactment of the ENIPAS Act of 2018.
The second installment featured 20 protected areas in 10 episodes which were aired from November 29, 2020 until January 31, 2021.
Now on its third season, Our Fragile Earth is airing until September 12, 2021, showcasing eight (8) protected areas from Central Luzon, CALABARZON, Davao Region, and SOCCSKSARGEN.
The featured PAs in Season 3 include Pujada Bay Protected Landscape and Seascape, Sarangani Bay Protected Seascape, Quezon Protected Landscape, Amro River Protected Landscape, Talaytay Protected Landscape, Simbahan-Talagas Protected Landscape, Dinadiawan River Protected Landscape and Masinloc and Oyon Bay Protected Landscape.
"I principally authored the Expanded NIPAS Act, which seeks to conserve our protected areas. Its passage in 2018 was just the beginning. Now that we already have the legal mechanism to protect these critical areas and prevent biodiversity loss, the challenge for us is to ensure its strict implementation as well as to increase awareness of the public on the importance of conserving biodiversity and of the underlying threats thereto,” Legarda said.
The Protected Area or P.A. Talk, on the other hand, is a webinar series that focuses on our environmental frontliners or the people who manage our protected areas and their experiences and commitment in ensuring the integrity of our PAs.
The P.A. Talk showcases the various facets of protected area management.It has streamed six episodes featuring 22 protected areas since June 22, 2020 via the Facebook pages of Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda and the DENR- BMB.
Through these programs, the DENR-BMB continues to reach out to its stakeholders and the Filipino people about the importance of our protected areas, government programs and initiatives and the laws that protect these natural wonders.
Tags: #LorenLegarda, #DepartmentOfEnvironmentandNaturalResources, #BiodiversityManagementBureau, #protectedareas