Manila: President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has enacted legislation to establish protected areas in Tarlac and Southern Leyte, thereby incorporating these regions into the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS). The specific regions designated include a parcel of land in Tarlac and the waters surrounding Panaon Island in Southern Leyte.
According to Philippines News Agency, the official publication of Republic Acts (RAs) 12237 and 12238, signed by Marcos on August 29, was released in The Official Gazette on Friday. Under RA 12237, the land in the municipalities of Mayantoc and San Jose in Tarlac will be recognized as the Mt. Sawtooth Protected Landscape. Meanwhile, RA 12238 designates the waters around Panaon Island as the Panaon Island Protected Seascape.
The establishment of these protected areas under NIPAS aims to mitigate the impact of human activities on the environment and ensure the preservation of ecologically significant flora and fauna for future generations. The legislation also mandates the formation of the Protected Area Management Board (PAMB), chaired by the regional executive director of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, with representatives from the provincial government and relevant agencies.
RAs 12237 and 12238 also introduce a trust fund intended to support projects within the protected areas. The PAMB will retain 75 percent of revenues generated, which will be held in the Protected Area-Retained Income Account at an authorized government depository bank in the locality. The trust fund can be supplemented by grants, donations, and endowments from both domestic and foreign sources. The remaining 25 percent of the revenue will be allocated to a special account within the General Fund in the National Treasury, supporting NIPAS programs and projects.
The laws specify that funds should solely be utilized for the protection, maintenance, administration, and management of NIPAS projects, and must adhere to existing accounting, budgeting, and auditing standards. Personal services expenditures are expressly prohibited from using these funds. The enacted RAs will take effect 15 days following their publication in The Official Gazette or in a widely circulated newspaper.
