VIP protection vital — Prime Infra

Prime Infra, a leading infrastructure developer and operator, has joined the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Department of Energy (DoE) in protecting the Verde Island Passage (VIP), the strait between Luzon and Mindoro.

“The VIP is a national asset whose protection is vital not just for our environment, but for the livelihoods and well-being of our people,” Prime Infra president and CEO Guillaume Lucci said during the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the sustainable access and use of VIP’s coastal and marine resources with DENR and DoE.

DENR Secretary Raphael Lotilla said the agreement shows that “industry and government can unite to safeguard our natural heritage for present and future generations.” 

“The DoE continues to support initiatives that align energy development with environmental protection, ensuring that the transition to cleaner sources remains both responsible and sustainable,” said DoE Secretary Sharon Garin.  

Under the MoU, the three parties will use innovative technology and science-based methods for marine and terrestrial conservation in the VIP.

Prime Infra has a separate MoU and deed of donation with the DENR committing more than P6 million for the agency’s Watershed Instrumentation Program. The MoU installs an automated weather station in the Upper Marikina watershed.

“In both partnerships the principle is the same — by combining our strength, we can address challenges with solutions that are practical today and resilient for the future,” Lucci said.  

Surrounded by the provinces of Batangas, Marinduque, Romblon, Oriental Mindoro and Occidental Mindoro, the VIP is highly prioritized for protection and conservation under Executive Order 578, which establishes the national policy on biological diversity and prescribes its implementation throughout the country, particularly in the Sulu Sulawesi Marine Ecosystem and the VIP marine corridor.

The strait is subject to the conduct of the Protected Areas Suitability Assessment by the Biodiversity Management Bureau under the National Integrated Protected Areas System (Republic Act 7586), as amended by Republic Act 11038.

In May 2024, Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Metro Pacific Investments Corporation and San Miguel Corporation also signed an MoU with DENR and DoE to jointly protect and manage the VIP.