A bill seeking to declare the Verde Island Passage (VIP) a protected seascape has been filed in the House of Representatives in a bid to preserve one of the world’s richest marine ecosystems and protect the livelihoods of coastal communities.
House Bill No. 8882, or the proposed “Verde Island Passage Protected Seascape Act,” aims to place the biodiverse marine corridor under the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) to strengthen conservation and sustainable resource management efforts.
The proposed measure seeks to address growing environmental threats in the area, including industrial expansion, commercial fishing, land reclamation, and pollution incidents that have affected marine habitats and fishing communities.
Spanning the provinces of Batangas, Marinduque, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, and Romblon, the Verde Island Passage is internationally recognized as the “center of the center” of global marine shore fish biodiversity due to its vast concentration of coral and fish species.
House Senior Deputy Minority Leader and Mamamayang Liberal (ML) Partylist Rep. Leila de Lima, who filed the measure, pointed to the 2023 MT Princess Empress oil spill, which reportedly caused more than P40 billion in environmental and economic damage, as a reminder of the ecological risks facing the region.
The bill also seeks to establish the Verde Island Passage Protected Seascape Management Board, which would serve as the primary policymaking body overseeing the area. The board would include representatives from fisherfolk groups, indigenous communities, academic institutions, the private sector, and the youth sector.
To support science-based conservation policies, the measure also proposes the creation of a Fisheries Monitoring Center tasked with conducting regular assessments to identify strict protection zones and no-take areas.
If enacted into law, the measure would prohibit destructive activities such as large-scale mining, the use of explosives and toxic substances in fishing, and commercial fishing operations within protected coastal zones.
De Lima said stronger legal protection is needed to ensure food security, safeguard marine biodiversity, and preserve the livelihoods of millions of Filipinos dependent on the Verde Island Passage.