THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is planning to expand its network of marine protected areas (MPA) and is eyeing to secure ecologically important areas in the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG) and other areas within the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
The KIG is administratively governed by the Municipality of Kalayaan in Palawan province, with Pagasa Island serving as its official seat of government.
Backed by almost a decade of Filipino-led marine scientific research, the effort underscores the importance of protecting the country’s waters and the communities that depend on the ocean’s bounty.
The call was raised during the symposium ‘Science-to-Stewardship-to- Sovereignty: A Decade of Marine Scientific Research in the West Philippine Sea’ organized by the DENR’s Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMB) and Ocean Environments Task Force, held in commemoration of the 10th anniversary of the landmark 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award.
‘Years of marine scientific research and expeditions have identified key ecosystems in the West Philippine Sea that are vital to Philippine biodiversity. Further, despite climate threats, these habitats are still able to deliver significant ecosystem services for Filipinos all over the country, from fisheries to genetic resources that support the entire West Philippine Sea,’ Environment Secretary Juan Miguel Cuna said.
Establishing MPAs in the area will help safeguard the biodiversity through scientific monitoring and enforcement of sustainable use guidelines, that help ensure these ecosystems remain healthy and continue to support the rich biodiversity found therein.
Cuna said the DENR-BMB and its partners conducted sufficient marine scientific research to support actionable conservation strategies for the delicate yet biodiverse ecosystems in the West Philippine Sea, and continues to monitor the ecosystems there.
From 2017 to 2025, the DENR conducted biodiversity expeditions under the Coastal Assessment for Rehabilitation Enhancement: Capability Development and Resiliency of EcoSystems (Care-CaDRES) and Predicting Responses between Ocean Transport and Ecological Connectivity of Threatened Ecosystems in the West Philippines Sea (Protect-WPS) projects. The studies examined the coastal and marine ecosystems of the West Philippine Sea and provided the scientific basis for the proposed protected areas.
The research was carried out in partnership with the University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, the Navy (PN), the Coast Guard (PCG), the National Coast Watch Council, and other government and academic institutions.
Subsequent studies further expanded scientific understanding of the West Philippine Sea. Under the Integrated Research for Biodiversity Conservation and Carbon Sequestration in the West Philippine Sea (BioConSeq-WPS) project, researchers documented 49 fish species previously unrecorded in the Kalayaan Island Group, including eagle rays and endangered wrasses. The project also recorded rare corals and confirmed the first seagrass beds in Rizal Reef, increasing to two the number of Kalayaan Island Group sites with verified seagrass ecosystems.
Cuna elaborated on another study led by Hazel Arceo and her team, which found that the offshore ecosystems of the Kalayaan Island Group could potentially sustain an annual fisheries yield of 1,000 to 2,000 metric tons, underscoring the area’s importance to the country’s long-term food security.
Marine scientific research also highlighted growing environmental threats. A study by the UP Marine Science Institute found that Pag-asa Island has been the fastest-eroding island among those assessed, losing around 1,500 square meters of land annually over the past two decades. Researchers linked the erosion to ‘solid-based man-made structures jutting out of the coastline.’
‘As we commemorate the 2016 Arbitral Award, we also celebrate the rigorous science that led to its victory,’ Secretary Cuna said. ‘True sovereignty is built on active stewardship. It is our duty to stand on the frontlines and mobilize our citizenry to conserve and manage our marine resources for present and future generations.’
To strengthen long-term marine research, Cuna also announced that the DENR is moving to operationalize nine Marine Scientific Research Stations, including one on Pag-asa Island. The stations will enhance biodiversity monitoring, support evidence-based policymaking, and improve the management of the country’s coastal and marine ecosystems.
The DENR said it will continue supporting regular marine scientific research, monitoring, and reassessments in the West Philippine Sea to establish updated environmental baselines, track emerging threats, and guide science-based policies for the protection and sustainable management of the country’s marine resources.