Philippines urges creation of marine protected areas network in ASEAN

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines is proposing the establishment of a network of marine protected areas (MPAs) in the ASEAN region in a bid to safeguard migratory species and habitats critical to their survival.

Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu said the proposal has been submitted to the secretariat of the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) and is subject for consideration by more than 120 member-countries.

“While there has been notable increase in the number of MPAs in the region, the need to build up a regional connectivity of these areas among ASEAN member nations remains a challenge,” he said.

MPAs are portions of bodies of water where human activity is restricted to conserve natural resources found within them, and are considered as safe havens and food for migratory aquatic and bird species.

MPAs contribute to food security, sustainable livelihood and economic growth, and climate change mitigation and adaptation.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said the effective management of MPAs means the protection of species and habitats from actual and perceived threats in order to continue delivering important ecosystem services.

“The establishment of an MPA network would be a proactive step in protecting globally important marine and coastal biodiversity, particularly since the region faces complex threats from climate change, over-exploitation of resources, and pollution from a burgeoning population,” DENR-Biodiversity Management Bureau director Theresa Mundita Lim said.

Furthermore, the proposal takes off from each ASEAN country’s National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans, which already call for designation, connection and management of MPAs.

It also encourages ASEAN countries, especially those that are within the range of known migratory species, to improve the way migratory sites are managed by promoting MPA networks.

The Southeast Asian region hosts 30 percent of the coral reefs, 35 percent of mangroves and 18 percent of sea grass meadows globally.