The Philippines is pushing to place the Verde Island Passage under protected-seascape status as officials and conservation groups warn that industrial activity continues to threaten the marine corridor.
At a side event during the 17th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, or CBD COP17, in Yerevan, Armenia, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) officials said the government was working to secure stronger legal protection for the area.
DENR Biodiversity Management Bureau Director Felix Alicer said the Verde Island Passage was both a globally significant marine area and home to communities that depend on it.
“Our goal is to establish the VIP as a protected seascape under our national protected-area system. The DENR stands ready to provide technical assistance to advance the necessary legislation,” said Alicer.
Fr. Edwin Gariguez, lead convenor of the Protect Verde Island Network, said recognition of the passage’s ecological value must be backed by legal protection, enforcement and safeguards against activities that threaten its ecosystems and communities.
“Passing the VIP Protected Seascape Bill is a crucial step toward turning our commitment to biodiversity into concrete action,” said Gariguez.
The proposed designation would place the Verde Island Passage under the country’s national protected-area system as conservation groups press for passage of the Verde Island Passage Protected Seascape Bill.
The passage covers the provinces of Batangas, Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Marinduque, and Romblon and is often referred to as the “Amazon of the Oceans” because of its marine biodiversity.
Batangas has become a major hub for fossil gas development, with existing and proposed gas-fired power plants and liquefied natural gas infrastructure concentrated along the passage, alongside other industrial activities.
Martha Vergara, deputy head of the Oceans and Climate Program of the Center for Energy, Ecology, and Development, said protecting the passage was essential to the food security and livelihoods of communities that depend on it.
“But recognizing its ecological importance is not enough. We need concrete protection that addresses the many destructive activities threatening its waters and ensure that communities are not left to bear the costs of environmental destruction,” said Vergara.
Pending legislation, the DENR has introduced interim safeguards for projects in and near the marine corridor.
Under a departmental memorandum order issued in July 2025, such projects require endorsement from the relevant DENR regional offices and concurrence from the Biodiversity Management Bureau before the environmental impact assessment process can proceed.
The risks facing the passage were highlighted by the February 2023 MT Princess Empress oil spill, which affected coastal communities in Oriental Mindoro, disrupted fishing activities and damaged marine ecosystems.
Thousands of fisherfolk suffered livelihood losses following the spill.
The proposed protected-seascape designation also aligns with the Philippines’ commitment to the global 30×30 target under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, which calls for at least 30% of terrestrial and inland water areas and marine and coastal areas to be effectively conserved and managed by 2030.
The Verde Island Passage has been identified for proposed protected-area designation under the Philippine Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan and is recognized as a Key Biodiversity Area.
CBD COP17 brings together governments, United Nations agencies, intergovernmental organizations, financial institutions and civil society organizations to review progress and advance implementation of the Global Biodiversity Framework.
