Tugbo Natural Biotic Area now a PA under NIPAS - Cynthia Villar

The Tugbo Natural Biotic Area (TNBA), found in Masbate City and Municipality of Mobo in Masbate Province, is now among the country's Protected Areas (PAs) under Republic Act (RA) 11806, which became a law on 2 June 2022, said Senator Cynthia A. Villar.

RA 11806 declares that the said protected area will be managed within the National Integrated Protected Area System (NIPAS) and thus, should be allocated with funds consistent with its protection.

Villar, the chairperson of the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Climate Change, along with Rep. Elisa "Olga" Kho (Masbate, 2nd District) in the lower House, authored and pushed for the declaration of the 255-hectare TNBA as a PA.

Villar noted that it is a primary water source and home to various endemic flora and fauna, including vulnerable wild bird species.

The law states that TBNA is acknowledged a protected area "in recognition of the richness of its biological resources, both flora and fauna, that are native and distinct to the Tugbo Watershed Forest Reserve as well as their aesthetic and ecological importance."

For this reason, the law mandates for the conservation, protection, rehabilitation, and effective administration of the TBNA, which could be made possible through cooperation among national government, concerned local government unit, non-government agencies, private entities and local communities. The law further read that "the enjoyment of the area must be consistent with the principles of biological diversity and sustainable development".

The inclusion of TNBA as a protected area has brought to 113 the legislated protected areas in the country. However, Villar pointed out that there are more work to be done as "there are still numerous sites in the country that have yet to be given protected status by legislative action to ensure their conservation."

Villar also pushed for the passage of RA No. 11038 or the Expanded NIPAS Act of 2018, which strengthened the legal framework for the establishment, management and maintenance of all designated PAs in the country or those that are identified to be ecologically rich and biologically important public lands.

The Expanded NIPAS Act is a landmark law because it facilitated the legislation of ninety four (94) more protected areas or PAs, in addition to the 13 PAs individually legislated under the operation of the original NIPAS law.

Tugbo Natural Biotic Area, protected area na sa ilalim ng under NIPAS - Cynthia Villar

KABILANG na ang Tugbo Natural Biotic Area (TNBA) na nasa Masbate City at munisipalidad ng Mobo sa Masbate Province sa Protected Areas (PAs) ng bansa sa iallim ng Republic Act (RA) 11806 na naging batas noong June 2022, sabi ni Senator Cynthia A. Villar.

Idinedeklara ng RA 11806 na pangangasiwaan ang naturang protected area sa ilalim ng National Integrated Protected Area System (NIPAS). Ito ay paglalaanan din ng pondo para sa kanilang proteksyon.

Inakda at isinulong nina Villar, chairperson ng Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Climate Change, at Rep. Elisa "Olga" Kho (Masbate, 2nd District) sa lower House, ang deklarasyon ng 255-hectare TNBA bilang PA.

Ang TBNA ang pangunahing pinagkukunan ng tubig at tirahan ng iba't-ibang endemic flora and fauna kabilang ang wild bird species.

"The law states that TBNA is acknowledged a protected area 'in recognition of the richness of its biological resources, both flora and fauna, that are native and distinct to the Tugbo Watershed Forest Reserve as well as their aesthetic and ecological importance," ani Villar.

Sanhi nito, itinatakda ng batas ang konserbasyon, proteksyon, rehabilitasyon at epektibong administrasyon ng TBNA na magiging posible sa kooperasyon ng national government, concerned local government unit, non-government agencies, private entities at local communities.

Isinasaad din sa batas ang ganito-"the enjoyment of the area must be consistent with the principles of biological diversity and sustainable development".

Matapos mapabilang ang TNBA sa protected area, umabot na sa 113 ang legislated protected areas sa bansa. Subalit, binanggit din ni Villar na marami pang kailangang trabahuhin dahil sa marami pang lugar ang dapat bigyan ng protected status sa pamamagitan ng legislative action upang matiyak ang konserbasyon.

Isinulong din ni Villar ang pagsasabatas ng RA No. 11038 o ang Expanded NIPAS Act of 2018 na pinalalakas ang legal framework sa pagtatatag, pamamahala at pagpapanatili ng lahat na PAs sa bansa o yaong mga tinukoy na 'ecologically rich and biologically important public lands.

Isang landmark na batas ang Expanded NIPAS Act dahil mapapadali nito ang legislation ng ninety four (94) protected areas oPAs bukod sa karagdagang addition 13 PAs na 'individually legislated' sa ilalim ng operasyon ng orihinal na NIPAS law.