Law Summary
Biodiversity Significance of Las Piñas-Parañaque Lagoons
- The combined lagoons support globally threatened species such as the Chinese Egret and the Philippine Duck.
- They also sustain populations of 25 other rare and uncommon waterbird species.
International and National Commitments
- The Philippines is a signatory to the Ramsar Convention, highlighting commitments to protecting wetlands of international importance.
- The Las Piñas-Parañaque area qualifies as a wetland of global ecological importance by hosting at least 1% of the population of certain waterbird species in the East Asian Flyway.
Legal Framework for Habitat Protection
- RA 9147 (Wildlife Resource Conservation and Protection Act) and EO 578 provide for the establishment and management of critical habitats for threatened species.
- These laws require integrating biodiversity impact assessments into Environmental Impact and Risk Assessments.
- The framework also aligns with guidelines under the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity.
Ecotourism Development Policy
- EO 111 establishes guidelines for ecotourism development in the Philippines.
- It promotes the protection and sustainable development of identified tourism sites including critical habitats.
Establishment of Las Piñas-Parañaque Critical Habitat and Ecotourism Area
- The area is officially declared a critical habitat and ecotourism zone covering 175.307 hectares.
- The proclamation includes a technical perimeter description with detailed geographical coordinates defining the protected area.
Effectivity
- The proclamation takes effect immediately upon issuance.
Formalization
- Signed by the President of the Philippines and the Executive Secretary.
- Affixed with the seal of the Republic, and executed in Manila on April 22, 2007.