President Rodrigo Duterte signed the Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System Act of 2018 (ENIPAS) into law on June 22, 2018 in a bid to strengthen efforts in conserving and protecting Philippine biodiversity.
“The urgency in passing ENIPAS is evident as our present regime of laws is not sufficient to address the current environmental issues and ensure continued provision of ecological services to the country,” Haribon Foundation said prior to the law’s passage.
“For years, Philippine laws on forests focused on the forest as a resource for utilization and exploitation. It is our position that such an outdated concept needs revamping,” Haribon added.
Enacted under Republic Act No. 11038, the new law will address these issues as it adopts amendatory measures to the National Integrated Protected Area Systems (NIPAS) Act of 1992 to add over 100 legislated protected areas in the country.
One of the measures is the creation of a Protected Area Management Plan (PAMP) for 97 ecologically critical areas in the country, including the Philippine Rise Marine Resource Reserve or Benham Rise near Aurora and Isabel, a potentially rich source of natural gas and other resources like heavy metals.
The PAMP will be executed by a Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) composed of local government units, environment officials, representatives from indigenous communities, academe, and civil society.
Special prosecutors will also be appointed to handle cases specifically related to protected areas and assist in training wardens and rangers in arrests and criminal procedures as per the expanded mandates of the ENIPAS Act.
Other contingencies of the new law include provisions for scientific and technical support for biodiversity conservation, delineation and demarcation of boundaries, and delegation of support especially in appointing the Protected Area Superintendent (PASu).
Haribon is at the frontlines for advocating biodiversity conservation policies for national legislation. Along with their call for the passage of the ENIPAS Act is the call to pass other policies such as the Forest Resource Bill, which is consistent with the ENIPAS Act’s advocacy to protect all natural forests.
