TACLOBAN CITY – Stakeholders vowed to protect the environment and biodiversity of the Samar Island Natural Park (SINP) amid the ongoing construction of a vital road that will traverse the protected area.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Eastern Visayas, together with the provincial governments of Samar and Eastern Samar, the local government units of Basey, Samar, and Maydolong, Eastern Samar, and other stakeholders, entered into a memorandum of agreement to ensure that the SINP is protected and conserved during the construction of the Basey-Maydolong Road.

The 70-kilometer Basey-Maydolong Road, which connects the provinces of Samar and Eastern Samar, is already on its last leg of construction and is expected to be completed before the end of the Marcos administration.

The road is a vital infrastructure project in Eastern Visayas, as it will reduce travel time between Tacloban and Borongan to two hours from the current four hours via the existing 190-kilometer route through Marabut, Samar.

The demand for its immediate completion has been underscored by the limitations of the present route, where two bridges are currently undergoing repairs and load limits are in place.

DENR Region 8 Regional Executive Director Arturo Salazar said the MOA emphasizes a shared commitment to protect the SINP while ensuring that development is pursued responsibly.

"The Basey–Maydolong Road serves as a vital link for our communities, but it also passes through one of our most ecologically important protected areas,” Salazar said. “It is our shared responsibility to ensure that infrastructure development proceeds without compromising the integrity of the SINP.”

He added that through the partnership, the stakeholders reaffirm their commitment to achieving sustainable development, where progress goes hand in hand with the protection of the country's natural heritage for present and future generations.

The signatories pledged to strengthen inter-agency coordination, promote sustainable road management practices, and implement measures that minimize environmental impacts while ensuring safe and responsible access for the public.