Environmental group Oceana has welcomed the call of local governments in Panaon Island of Southern Leyte to designate through legislation their marine habitat and sanctuaries as one of the country’s protected areas.

In a statement on Friday, Oceana said mayors of the towns of Liloan, Pintuyan, San Francisco, and San Ricardo recently filed separate resolutions pledging their support for the efforts to include Panaon Island in the Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System (ENIPAS).

The Island’s underwater is home to coral reefs included in the priority regions for conservation, reefs with the potential to withstand the impacts of climate change and repopulate neighboring reefs, according to the group.

“These resolutions from the municipalities of Panaon Island are testament of the island communities’ clamor to save the precious marine resources that they depend on for livelihood and food. While it is true that the waters surrounding the island are home to incredibly rich marine resources, without ample protection these remain vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and other environmental challenges,” said Oceana Vice President Gloria Estenzo Ramos.

According to the resolutions from Liloan and Pintuyan, “designating Panaon Island as a protected area will not only ensure the perpetual existence of the marine organisms by promoting managed access and regulated utilization of the resources, but also further enhance cooperation among national government, local government and concerned private organizations.”

The ENIPAS Act of 2018 amended the NIPAS Act of 1992 with enhancements to state policies and legislation for all protected areas and provisions for accountability of those mandated to protect the environment.

According to Oceana, the corals surrounding Panaon Island are strong contenders for national-level protections.

Oceana is an international advocacy organization dedicated to protecting the world’s oceans. (PNA)