DAVAO Rep. Karlo Alexei Nograles, chairman of the House committee on appropriations, has given the nod to seek the establishment of marine protected areas (MPAs) in all coastal municipalities and cities.
He approved a still unnumbered substitute bill to House Bill Nos 48 and 2126 that originated from the House committee on aquaculture and fisheries resources.
“It is a generic term that includes all declared areas governed by specific rules or guidelines in order to protect and manage activities within the enclosed area,” he said.
“With all the environmental challenges that Boracay is facing, I can’t help but highlight the importance of this measure. As we’ve witnessed,
environmental negligence is very costly and dangerous, and this proposed law discourages it,” he added.