In line with the ASEAN marine protected area management project being implemented by the Unitec Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Philippines is recommending 5 new sites for inclusion in said project.
The 5 new sites from the Philippines include the Tubataha Reefs Natural Park (TRNP), the Ticao-Burias Pass Protected Seascape (TBPPS), Agoo-Damortis Protected Landscape (AD-PLS), Bani-Bolinao-Burgos-Infanta-Dasol-Agno MPAN (MPA Network), and Turtle Islands Wildlife Sanctuary (TTWS).
The list was finalized after the Department of Environment and Natural Resources stakeholders of the project Effectively Managing Networks of Marine Protected Areas in Large Marine Ecosystems (LME) in ASEAN or (ENMAPS), before submitting the consolidated data for funding by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) in March 2023.
Accordingly, the marine protected area (MPA) sites for consideration by ENMAPS must be biodiversity-rich sites and also face threats of environmental degradation. The ASEAN countries identified as beneficiaries of the project are the Philippines, Indonesia and Thailand – of the 3 the Phil averages 22 typhoons yearly.
MY COMMENT:
It is heart-warming for the Philippines to add 5 new sites for inclusion in the ASEAN MPA management project. I still believe that there are other sites which could be added to the list owing to it’s being an archipelagic/maritime country.
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