House panel OKs bill declaring portion of Philippine Rise as protected area

OCEAN FLOOR WONDER A diver explores the spectacular marine biodiversity of Benham Rise, now renamed Philippine Rise, in this screen grab from a film by Oceana Philippines. —OCEANA VIDEO

MANILA, Philippines — A committee in the House of Representatives approved a measure seeking to declare a portion of the Philippine Rise—also known as Benham Rise—as a protected area.

During its meeting on Wednesday, the House committee on natural resources approved the substitute bill to House Bill No. 36 or the “Philippine Rise Marine Resource Reserve Act.”

The measure seeks to declare a portion of the Philippine Rise situated within the exclusive economic zone of the Philippine Sea as a protected area with the category of marine resource reserve under the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS), to be referred to as the Philippine Rise Marine Resource Reserve (PRMRR).

“It shall be the policy of the State to ensure the protection and conservation of the globally significant economic, biological, sociocultural, educational, and scientific values of the Philippine Rise and the Benham Bank into perpetuity for the enjoyment of present and future generations,” the measure states.

“In the pursuit of this policy, it shall protect portions of the Philippine Rise region, namely the Benham Bank and its surrounding waters, through sustainable and participatory management, taking into consideration all applicable laws and international conventions to which the Philippines is a signatory,” it adds.

According to the measure, among the acts are prohibited within PRMRR are as follows:

• Poaching, killing, destroying, disturbing of any wildlife within the protected area;
• Hunting, taking, collecting, gathering, or possessing of any wildlife or by-products derived therefrom, or resources, whether living or nonliving within the protected area without the necessary permit, authorization or exemption;
• Using any fishing or harvesting gear or employing any practices, or any of their variations, that is unsustainable, that is unsustainable, or detrimental to coral reefs, seagrass or seaweed beds or other marine life and their associated habitats;
• Holding fast or securing a vessel in place either by using an anchor or tying onto any part of the reef: Provided, That all vessels permitted to enter shall utilize the mooring buoys provided by the PRMRR;
• Dumping, throwing, using, or causing to be dumped into or placed in the protected area of any toxic chemical, noxious or poisonous substance or non-biodegradable material, untreated sewage or animal waste products or products whether in liquid, solid, or gas state, including pesticides and other hazardous substances;
• Operating any motorized conveyance within the protected area without a permit from the PAMB;
• Altering, removing, destroying, or defacing boundary marks, buoys, or signs;
• Mutilating, defacing, destroying, excavating, vandalizing or, in any manner, damaging any natural formation, religious, spiritual, historical sites, artifacts and other objects of natural beauty, scenic value, or objects of interest;
• Littering or depositing refuse or debris within the protected area;

Depending on the violation, a person will be penalized ranging from P50,000 to P1 million on top of imprisonment.

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JPV