Quezon city: The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is advocating for the declaration of ecologically significant areas in the Kalayaan Island Group as Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). According to Philippines News Agency, this initiative is based on nearly ten years of marine scientific research conducted by Filipino scientists and biologists, who have mapped biodiversity and documented increasing environmental threats in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
The DENR, through its Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMB) and Ocean Environments Task Force, organized a forum in Quezon City on Tuesday. This event marked the 10th anniversary of the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Ruling and a decade of marine scientific research in the WPS. Environment Secretary Juan Miguel Cuna stated that years of research have pinpointed marine habitats that remain crucial to the country's biodiversity and fisheries, despite the impacts of climate change.
The DENR suggests that designating these areas under protected status would enhance biodiversity conservation through scientific monitoring and sustainable-use measures, preserving ecosystems that support marine life and the livelihoods dependent on them. Cuna emphasized the change in the Philippines' ocean governance following the 2016 ruling, which led to the creation of the DENR Coastal and Marine Ecosystems Management Program.
Cuna recounted that it was in 2016 when the DENR partnered with the University of the Philippines (UP) to conduct marine scientific research in the Kalayaan Island Group, marking the first research mission in these ecosystems since the 1990s. Since 2017, the DENR has collaborated with Filipino marine scientists, including those from the Marine Science Institute of the University of the Philippines (UPMSI), to collect biodiversity data and conduct assessments on various features in the area.
The proposal to declare key areas in the WPS as MPAs is supported by research under projects like the Coastal Assessment for Rehabilitation Enhancement and Predicting Responses between Ocean Transport and Ecological Connectivity of Threatened Ecosystems in the West Philippine Sea. These studies, conducted with support from entities such as the UP Marine Science Institute, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, and the Philippine Navy, provided the scientific foundation for the proposed protected areas.
One of the significant findings from the research was the documentation of 49 fish species previously unrecorded in the Kalayaan Island Group, including eagle rays and endangered wrasses. Researchers also discovered rare corals and confirmed the first seagrass beds in Rizal Reef, increasing the number of verified seagrass ecosystems in the island group.
Cuna cited a study led by Dr. Hazel Arceo of UP-Cebu, which indicated that the offshore ecosystems of the Kalayaan Island Group could potentially yield an annual fisheries output of 1,000 to 2,000 metric tons, underscoring the area's significance to the country's food supply. The studies also highlighted environmental degradation, including a finding by the UPMSI that Pag-asa Island has been the fastest-eroding island, losing around 1,500 square meters annually over the past two decades.
The erosion was associated with "solid-based man-made structures protruding from the coastline." As part of commemorating the 2016 Arbitral Award, Cuna celebrated the rigorous science that contributed to its success and honored the late Kent Carpenter, who served as an expert witness in the South China Sea arbitration.
Cuna underscored the importance of active stewardship in conserving and managing marine resources for current and future generations. He highlighted the roles of scientists mapping reefs and coastal communities relying on them, emphasizing a collective responsibility for the West Philippine Sea and the country.
To support future research, the DENR announced plans to operationalize nine Marine Scientific Research Stations, including one on Pag-asa Island, to bolster biodiversity monitoring and provide scientific data for managing the country's coastal and marine ecosystems. Cuna assured ongoing research and environmental monitoring in the WPS to guide future conservation and management efforts.
