The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is pushing to declare ecologically important areas in the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG) as marine protected areas (MPAs) following nearly a decade of research documenting its rich marine life and growing environmental threats.
Environment Secretary Juan Miguel Cuna said the proposed protected areas would strengthen the conservation of marine ecosystems that support biodiversity, fisheries and the livelihoods of Filipino communities.
The proposal is based on marine scientific research led by Filipino scientists and biologists since 2016, when the DENR partnered with the University of the Philippines (UP) to study the marine ecosystems of the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
“It was also in 2016 when the DENR entered a partnership with the University of the Philippines (UP) for the conduct of marine scientific research at the Kalayaan Island Group in the West Philippine Sea, the first marine scientific research mission in these ecosystems since the 1990s,” Cuna said.
The DENR Biodiversity Management Bureau and Ocean Environments Task Force presented the findings Tuesday during a forum in Quezon City marking the 10th anniversary of the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award and a decade of marine scientific research in the WPS.
Since 2017, Filipino marine scientists from the UP Marine Science Institute have resumed biodiversity surveys in Pag-asa Island after a 20-year gap and assessed other areas, including Escoda Shoal, Dalagang Bukid Shoal, Patag and Lawak islands.
The research documented 49 fish species not previously recorded in the KIG, including eagle rays and endangered wrasses.
Scientists also found rare corals and confirmed the first seagrass beds in Rizal Reef, bringing the number of verified seagrass ecosystems in the island group to two.
A study led by Dr. Hazel Arceo of UP-Cebu also found that offshore ecosystems in the KIG could potentially support an estimated 1,000 to 2,000 metric tons of fish catch each year, underscoring their importance to food security.
But the research also found signs of serious environmental damage.
The UP Marine Science Institute reported that Pag-asa Island has been the fastest-eroding island among those assessed, losing about 1,500 square meters of land each year over the past two decades.
The study linked the erosion to “solid-based man-made structures jutting out of the coastline.”
Cuna said the research provides the scientific basis for protecting key areas in the WPS under the DENR’s proposed MPA initiative.
The studies were conducted through projects on coastal assessment, ecosystem rehabilitation, resilience and ecological connectivity, in partnership with the UP Marine Science Institute, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, Philippine Navy, Philippine Coast Guard, National Coast Watch Council and other government and academic institutions.
Cuna said the Philippines’ 2016 arbitration victory also marked a shift in the country’s approach to managing its marine resources.
“As we commemorate the 2016 Arbitral Award, we also celebrate the rigorous science that led to its victory,” Cuna said.
He also recognized the late marine scientist Kent Carpenter, who served as an expert witness in the South China Sea arbitration and presented evidence on environmental damage caused by dredging, sedimentation and giant clam extraction.
“True sovereignty built on active stewardship. It is our duty to stand on the frontlines and mobilize our citizenry to conserve and manage our marine resources for present and future generations,” Cuna said.
To strengthen future research, the DENR plans to operationalize nine Marine Scientific Research Stations, including one on Pag-asa Island.
The stations will support biodiversity monitoring and provide scientific data for managing the country’s coastal and marine ecosystems.
Cuna said the DENR will continue research and environmental monitoring in the WPS to guide conservation and management efforts.
