Advocates to newly appointed DENR secretary: Uphold biodiversity, environmental integrity over dirty energy interests

Environmental advocates on Friday called on newly appointed Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Raphael Lotilla to prioritize protection of the country’s key biodiversity areas. This comes after President Marcos’ acceptance of the courtesy resignation of former Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga as part of his administration’s key Cabinet changes. 

“We urge secretary Lotilla to uphold the DENR’s mandate to protect our environment. This includes protection of critical biodiversity areas that are confronting threats, including the Verde Island Passage (VIP),” said Father Edwin Gariguez, lead convenor of Protect VIP.

Loyzaga’s term witnessed one of the country’s biggest environmental crises, the oil spill in Oriental Mindoro, which devastated parts of the VIP and paralyzed the livelihoods of its communities.

“Secretary Lotilla can learn much from the shortcomings during Secretary Yulo-Loyzaga’s term. We challenge him to take this as an opportunity to strengthen the DENR’s approaches in addressing environmental crises, starting with long-term rehabilitation of the still unresolved oil spill in Oriental Mindoro, and imposing the most stringent standards against pollution in the VIP and other biodiversity hotspots,” he added.

In 2024, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed by the DENR, the Department of Energy, and three major conglomerates in the country — Aboitiz Equity Ventures (AEV), Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC), and San Miguel Corporation (SMC) — to assume joint stewardship of the VIP. Advocates and local stakeholders have taken caution over this agreement, as the same companies are behind a buildout of destructive fossil gas facilities along the marine corridor.

“While we recognize his background as a former energy secretary, his new role as DENR secretary requires that he prioritize the protection of the country’s critical ecosystems. It is Secretary Lotilla’s task to place environmental integrity above the interests of the destructive energy industry, while advocating for a just transition to sustainable energy from renewables,” Gariguez added.

Experts, civil society organizations, local communities, and government actors - including the DENR under Secretary Yulo-Loyzaga - have also been calling for the VIP to be granted protection under the Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System (ENIPAS) Act. 

“As Secretary Lotilla begins his term as Environment Secretary, we urge him to follow Yulo-Loyzaga’s endorsement and finally move towards officially designating the VIP as a protected seascape,” Gariguez concluded.