The Verde Island Passage Technical Working Group (VIP TWG), led by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), which big business pledged to enforce measures that will safeguard the natural resources in the area referred to as Amazon of the Oceans has started.

The Aboitiz Group, Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC), and San Miguel Corp. (SMC) are key partners in this initiative, underscoring their commitment to environmental sustainability and marine biodiversity.

The TWG also includes the Department of Energy as a key partner and shared a vision of energy transition plans for the country.

The Verde Island Passage, situated in the Coral Triangle, is “the center of the center” of marine biodiversity.

Long-term plans set

The VIP TWG aims to implement strategies for its long-term protection, promoting sustainable practices and reducing human impact.

Since 2018, five provinces have shared a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to protect this region.

The current focus is to translate this MoU into concrete actions, including establishing the plans for the VIP marine station for research and monitoring, and collaboration on conservation and management programs with local communities.

Its implementation shall be aligned with the 9 other planned marine stations of DENR across different parts of the country.

A Protected Area Suitability Assessment is ongoing that seeks to determine whether the Verde Island Passage should be designated a Marine Protected Area.

The recent VIP TWG meeting aimed to inventory current initiatives, find areas of convergence, and plan the next steps to operationalize the MoU.

“We are proud to be part of this groundbreaking initiative,” Sabin Aboitiz, president and CEO of the Aboitiz Group, said.