TACLOBAN CITY – After years of lobbying for its enactment, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed into law a bill declaring the waters around Panaon Island in Southern Leyte a Protected Seascape on Friday, August 29, 2025.
The enactment into law is seen as a landmark move for marine conservation, food and livelihood security, and climate resilience.
International marine conservation group, Oceana, which has been lobbying for its passage in Congress since the previous administration, welcomes the enactment of Panaon Island Protected Seascape (PIPS) law.
The waters surrounding Panaon Island was identified as part of the 50 priority reefs in the world highly likely to withstand the devastating impacts of climate change.
Oceana Vice President Von Hernandez said the law was forged by years of scientific research, persistent advocacy, local organizing, and community participation.
“This policy milestone defends marine biodiversity, enhances food security, and fights poverty. In essence, this law is a declaration that the protection of our oceans is an investment in our future and collective survival. Empowering communities to manage their seas sustainably should be part of the nation’s blueprint against poverty and hunger,” said Von Hernandez, Oceana Vice President.
Hernandez said the law’s passage is a strategic investment in climate resilience, especially that Panaon Island’s coral reefs were found to have 60% of very good coral cover, three times above the national average of around 20%.
The PIPS spans over 61,204 hectares or 612.04 sq km covering the municipalities of Liloan, San Francisco, Pintuyan, and San Ricardo in Southern Leyte. The island is not only home to endangered species, such as whale sharks and the Philippine duck, but also serves as crucial breeding and nursery grounds for fish that sustain the local communities’ food and livelihood security.
Pintuyan Mayor Ricarte Estrella said it has been a subject of encroachment by fishermen from other places engaged in illegal fishing. He said that last year alone, the local government unit caught three fishermen doing illegal fishing in their municipal waters.
The new law mandates the creation of a comprehensive management plan, engaging local stakeholders, scientists, and government agencies to ensure that conservation efforts yield tangible benefits for both people and nature.
Hernandez said this approach is aligned with the country’s broader blue economy strategy, which aims to strike a balance between sustainable resource use and the protection of vital ecosystems.
“With Panaon Island’s protection strengthened, the Philippines takes a significant step toward meeting global biodiversity targets and building a resilient, inclusive blue economy that benefits both people and the planet,” he said.
Coral reefs, mangroves, and seagrasses in Panaon serve as natural buffers, protecting coastlines from storm surges and flooding while storing significant amounts of blue carbon. These ecosystems sequester carbon at rates far higher than terrestrial forests, playing a crucial role in mitigating climate change and supporting national commitments to the global blue carbon agenda.
Southern Leyte 1st District Representative Roger Mercado said the protection of Panaon Island will significantly contribute to the progress of the province.
“For me, tourism and environmental protection should go hand in hand. It should be already accepted that the environment should be taken care of. We should not debate on that,” Mercado said.
Sustainable ecotourism, particularly whale shark watching, is becoming an increasingly important economic driver, providing alternative livelihoods and supporting community development.
The 15th Conference of the Parties (COP 15) to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity approved the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework which include the 30x30 commitments that specifically call for the effective protection and management of 30% of the world’s terrestrial, inland water, and coastal and marine areas by the year 2030.
The Philippine government pledged its support for the 30×30 global target and has committed to protect 35.03 million hectares, which is 15.91% of Philippine seas. Panaon Island has been identified as an important area that will significantly contribute to achieving the country’s 30×30 commitments.
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