Omnibus Sponsorship Speech of Senator Cynthia Villar 6 Protected Area Bills

As your Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Climate Change, I am pleased to sponsor today the 6 bills declaring 6 ecologically vital areas in the Philippines as additional protected areas under our existing National Integrated Protected Areas Systems, as amended.

As a backgrounder, it was twenty-nine years ago or in 1992 when Republic Act No. 7586, known as the "National Integrated Protected Areas System Act of 1992" or the NIPAS Act was enacted. NIPAS refers to the classification and administration of all designated protected areas to maintain essential ecological processes and life-support systems, to preserve genetic diversity, to ensure sustainable use of resources found therein, and to maintain their natural conditions to the greatest extent possible. The NIPAS Act, therefore, provided the legal framework for the establishment and management of all the protected areas in the country.

Under the NIPAS Act, Congress was able to strengthen the protection status of 13 ecologically important areas through individual legislations and these are the:

1. Batanes Group of Islands and Islets Protected Landscape in the Province of Batanes;

2. Northern Sierra Madre Natural Park in the Province of Isabela;

3. Bangan Hills National Park in the Province of Nueva Vizcaya;

4. Mounts Banahaw and San Cristobal Protected Landscape in the Provinces of Laguna and Quezon;

5. Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park in the Province of Palawan;

6. Sagay Marine Reserve in the Province of Negros Occidental;

7. Mt. Kanla-on Natural Park in the Province of Negros Occidental;

8. Central Cebu Protected Landscape in the Province of Cebu;

9. Mt. Kitanglad Range Natural Park in the Province of Bukidnon;

10. Mt. Malindang Natural Park in the Province of Misamis Occidental;

11. Mimbilisan Watershed Protected Landscape in the Province of Misamis Oriental;

12. Mount Apo Natural Park in the Provinces of Cotabato and Davao del Sur and in the City of Davao; and

13. Mt. Haminguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary in the Province of Davao Oriental;

But, through the years, the establishment of protected areas by legislative action became few and far between. And yet, the need to secure for the present and future Filipinos the perpetual existence of all native plants and animals has become more urgent and necessary. . . given the profound impact of human activities on all components of the natural environment particularly the effect of increasing population, resource exploitation and industrial advancement, and recognizing the critical importance of protecting and maintaining the natural, biological, and physical diversities of the environment.

Thus, during the previous 17th Congress, when I was a newly installed Chairperson of the Senate Environment Committee, I wasted no time and vigorously pursued the passage of Republic Act No. 11038 known as the "Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System Act of 2018" or the ENIPAS Act, which strengthened the legal framework for the establishment and management of all designated protected areas in the country to maintain essential ecological processes and life-support systems, to preserve genetic diversity, to ensure sustainable use of resourced found therein, and to maintain their natural conditions to the greatest extent possible. More importantly, the ENIPAS Act included 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), comprising of natural parks, natural monuments or landmarks, protected landscapes and seascapes, wetland parks, park and wildlife center, wildlife sanctuaries, natural biotic areas, and resource reserves.

The enactment of ENIPAS brought the country's total legislated protected areas to one hundred seven (107) or a total land area of 4,382,568.68 that is classified as national parks under the provisions of the 1987 Philippine Constitution.

But, the work does not stop there. We need to declare more protected areas through legislation if we are to fulfill the State guarantee under our Constitution of protecting and advancing the right of the people to a balanced and healthful ecology in accord with the rhythm and harmony of nature.

With this backdrop, I am pleased to present for the consideration and approval of this august Chamber the following proposed legislative measures which seek to establish certain parcels of lands in the country as protected areas:

1) House Bill No. 9325 (principally authored by Rep. Chungalao), taking into consideration Senate Bill No. 2278 (which I filed in the Senate), under Committee Report No. 300 or the Mt. Pulag Protected Landscape Act. Mt. Pulag is located in located in the Municipalities of Kabayan, Bokod And Buguias, in the Province of Benguet, in the Municipality of Tinoc, Province of Ifugao, and in the Municipality of Kayapa in the Province of Nueva Vizcaya;

2) House Bill No. 9329 (authored by Rep. Sonny Managaoang), taking into consideration Senate Bill No. 2280 (which I filed in the Senate), under Committee Report No. 303 or the Banao Protected Landscape Act. The Banao Protected Landscape is located in the Municipality of Balbalan, Kalinga Province;

3) House Bill No. 9327 (authored by Rep. Singson-Meehan), taking into consideration Senate Bill No. 2279 (which I filed in the Senate), under Committee Report No. 301 or the Tirad Pass Protected Landscape Act. This area is located in the Municipalities of Gregorio Del Pilar, Quirino, Sigay, Cervantes, and Suyo, in Ilocos Sur;

4) House Bill No. 9206 (authored by Rep. Gonzales), taking into consideration Senate Bill No. 1713 (which I filed in the Senate), under Committee Report No. 299 or the Mt. Arayat Protected Landscape Act. Mt. Arayat is located in the Municipalities of Magalang and Arayat in the Province of Pampanga;

5) House Bill No. 9328 (authored by Rep. Boboy Tupas), taking into consideration Senate Bill No. 2277 (which I filed in the Senate), under Committee Report No. 304 or the Sicogon Island Wildlife Sanctuary Act. The area is located in the Municipality of Carles in Iloilo; and

6) House Bill No. 9326 (authored by Rep. Hofer), taking into consideration Senate Bill No. 2276, under Committee Report No. 302 or the Naga-Kabasalan Protected Landscape Act. The area is located in the Municipalities of Naga and Kabasalan in Zamboanga Sibugay.

The salient features of the proposed legislations.

I will not read anymore but I will just insert them into the record.