Photo credit: Senate PH

The Senate just gave a big thumbs-up to 10 bills aimed at boosting the country’s protected areas—a move Senator Cynthia Villar says is a “significant step” toward protecting biodiversity and meeting international commitments.

On Monday, December 16, 2024, Villar thanked her colleagues for their support as the measures passed on their third and final reading. If these bills become law, the Philippines will have a total of 124 legislated protected areas—covering a massive 4.5 million hectares of natural beauty and biodiversity.

“This represents a significant step toward our commitment to the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, which aims to restore biodiversity laws by protecting 30% of the planet and 30% of degraded ecosystems by 2030,” Villar emphasized.

For context, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework is an international agreement where countries pledged to work together to protect nature and reverse biodiversity loss by the year 2030.

Villar is also pushing for another big move with Senate Bill No. 1536, which seeks to expand the Las Piñas-Parañaque Wetland Park’s boundaries and officially designate its surrounding areas as protected. This would help ensure the park remains a safe haven for wildlife, migratory birds, and the local ecosystem.

With the Senate’s strong support, it looks like the country is on its way to making even bigger strides in protecting nature for future generations.