Think about one thing you treasured the most when you were a kid – your favorite toy or your favorite blanket. Remember how you kept it in a safe place, how you maintained it, and how you even had a set of rules on using it? How many people did you trust to hold your favorite thing when you were a kid?

Now, what if these same principles of protection were applied to an area home to diverse life forms and critically endangered species? Think forests and watersheds that are home to beautiful flowers or endangered fish! These concepts form the foundations of places we now know as ‘protected areas’. 

According to the Republic Act No. 7586 or the National Integrated Protected Areas System Act of 1992 and Republic Act No 11038 or the Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System (E-NIPAS) Act of 2018, protected areas are

"portions of land and water set aside by reason of their unique physical and biological significance, managed to enhance biological diversity and protected against destructive human exploitation”.

These areas help conserve what remains of endemic species, habitats, and ecosystems in the country. 

Photo Credits: Northwest Panay Peninsula Park’s Viewing Deck, Libertad, Antique - V. Deck (2019), Google Maps

There are about two hundred forty-four (244) protected areas in the Philippines as of 2020. In total, these areas cover about 7,760,000 hectares – around 15.4% of the country’s total land area. Covering 12,009.29 hectares of land is one of the protected areas in Region 6 nestled in the provinces of Aklan and Antique: the Northwest Panay Peninsula Natural Park (NPPNP).

Photo Credits: Wikimedia Commons - Northwest Panay Peninsula Natural Park (2022, September 6), Wikipedia Contributors

The Northwest Panay Peninsula Natural Park is found on the island of Panay within the municipalities of Nabas, Malay, and Buruanga in Aklan, and Libertad and Pandan in Antique. When compared to other regions in the country, the NPPNP still has significant stands of lowland primary rainforest – a low elevation tropical forest unchanged by human activity. It is also the last contiguous lowland forest in the region. Its watershed provides water to almost 100,000 inhabitants, of which Boracay, a major tourist destination, sources its water from.

Flora and Fauna

Photo Credits: Google Search - Northwest Panay Peninsula Natural Park (2019)

The NPPNP is home to an abundance of flora and fauna, many of which are endemic in the country. With its rich forest area, it is a reserve for many tree species such as the Bangkalawag, Batete (Kingiodendron alternifolium), Uya-oy (Elaeocarpus monocera), Magabuyo (Celtis luzonica), Badlan (Badermachera gigantea), Hag-um (Symplocos polyandra), and White Lauan (Shorea contorta). Many wildlife species can also be found in the area such as the vampire crab (Geosesarma), stick insect, the panther flying frog (Rhacophorus pardalis), and many more that have not yet been described. 

The NPPNP also holds biological significance due to the presence of threatened species that inhabit the area. These include The Big Visayan Five: Visayan Hornbill (Penelopides panini), Negros Bleeding Heart Pigeon (Gallicolumba keayi), Walden’s Hornbill (Rhabdotorrinus waldeni), Philippine Spotted Deer (Rusa alfredi), and the Visayan Warty Pig (Sus cebifrons).

These species are among the country’s rarest and most unique yet are endangered due to hunting, deforestation, and illegal logging activities.

Moreover, near threatened species such as the Blue-naped parrot (Tanygnathus lucionensis) and the endemic Panay monitor lizard (Varanus mabitang) with an endangered status, are reported in the area. In terms of flora, many tree species are endemic in the area, such as the mentioned Bangkalawag and Batete trees. 

The NPPNP holds biological significance due to the presence of these flora and fauna in which their lives are adapted to. Many tree species serve as habitats for birds and are gene reserves for reforestation efforts in deforested areas in Panay. Locals even report the trees in the area as bat roosting sites. The loss of these habitats and species in NPPNP result in an imbalance in the ecosystem, leading to subsequent effects that could result in the loss of these species and worsen the effects of climate change.

Local Management Authorities

As this contiguous lowland rainforest is home to a diverse set of endemic organisms and an explicitly rich ecosystem, the NPPNP becomes a natural magnet for various human activities that take advantage of its overflowing biodiversity.

 

This region, which is home to Panay Island's only surviving pristine woods, offers the best chance of survival for the native organisms found in Western Visayas, which are critically endangered. 

The widespread conversion of various forest patches for kaingin and the overuse of lumber resources for firewood and charcoal production are causing habitat damage, which poses a great hazard in this area. Other significant obstacles to the conservation of the natural park include mining operations, animal poaching, and hunting which became the livelihood resources of a tiny, inhabited Ati (Negritos) settlement in the Barangay Cogon located in the Municipality of Malay, as well as other local communities that surround the evergreen forests of this natural site.

With the insurgence of these various threats, numerous alliances and organizations were established to carefully monitor and protect the vicinity covered by the NPPNP.

One of the first ones to be created was the Northwest Panay Biodiversity Management Council (NPBMC). Established in 1999 to protect the NPPNP, the NPBMC is a multisectoral entity comprising local government units, national and local agencies, and non-governmental organizations, working together to ensure the preservation and protection of the biologically significant region.

Another active organization in protecting the NPPNP is the Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) which includes officials from DENR and local municipalities, local barangay leaders, ethnic minority representatives, and other interested parties. Along with the participation of NGOs like the Philippine Initiative for Conservation of Environment and the People (PhilinCon), they convene quarterly to deliberate and make decisions about actions impacting the protected area and its adjacent buffer zones.

In the local context, LGUs of Aklan and Antique have established alliances such as the NACADA (Northwestern Aklan Coastal Area Development Alliance) and LIBERSECU (Libertad, Pandan, Sebaste, and Culasi Bay-wide Management Council) which aims to provide the LGU Alliances the means to improve their combined ability to manage their coastal and land resources effectively and efficiently and to create a platform for increased community involvement in the process of natural resource profiling.

Threats to NPPNP

Most people wouldn't argue against the development of renewable energy projects since they're seen as beneficial. But, when this development and an unfair transition end up doing more harm to the environment than the promised green solutions, then these changes aren’t necessary.

Progress should go hand in hand with the environmental protection. The Northwest Panay Peninsula Natural Park (NPPNP) faces challenges and dangers from human activities.

The increasing population and the absence of alternative sources of income have led residents to claim the forest, posing a threat to the once-stable ecosystem.

Large portions of the peninsula and the Central Panay Mountain Range (CPMR) have already been extensively deforested and the cumulative impact of the continued slash-and-burn agriculture, deforestation, and the poaching of wildlife are making the situation worse. Under Republic Act No. 11038, or the Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System Act of 2018, penalties for violators of forest management and protection laws are presented but poachers and illegal activities continue to run rampant.

Poaching of critically endangered species like the Visayan Warty Pig, and traps and equipment meant to catch macaques, civet cats, leopard cats, monitor lizards, and Red Jungle fowls are discovered. Even trees like agarwood, narra, kamagong, tabaw, and lawaan are being poached as they have high market value. 

The NPPNP faces a new threat due to the expansion of the Nabas Wind Power Project (NWPP) within the Multiple Use Zone (MUZ), authorized by the existing Special Agreement on Protected Areas (SAPA) granted to PetroWind Energy, Inc. (PWEI) by DENR Region 6. Despite being promoted as a green energy solution, PWEI's development and transition to green energy could potentially cause more ecological damage than being a green solution.

The project compromises the health of co-developed forests, watersheds, and streams vital to the community, with operations under reporting ecological damage and neglecting the profound consequences of tree cutting and land clearance, resulting in severe habitat fragmentation. This could potentially threaten bird life, and migratory patterns, and lead to the decline of key plant species native to the Philippines.

Runoff from the ongoing project in Pawa has caused siltation in the coastal waters of Malay, impacting the Nabaoy River Watershed, a crucial water source for mainland Malay and Boracay Island. This is due to poorly implemented measures during the construction of the road network and wind turbine platforms in Pawa, Nabas, Aklan.

Inspections by various environmental groups, volunteers, LGUs, NGOs, and residents revealed that the newly excavated road aggravated existing damage to the Napaan River, causing substantial siltation. Poorly implemented gabions allowed sediments and silt-laden water to pollute streams and eventually the coast.

The project's effects have harmed water quality downstream from NWPP-2 construction areas, affecting Napaan and Nabaoy, as well as surrounding communities like Argao, Cubay, and Motag. Given the importance of the Nabaoy River and Napaan River Watersheds as primary water sources for Malaynons and Boracay, any disturbance to water quality poses a substantial risk, impacting not only the communities but also the significant contribution these rivers make to tourism revenue.

Conservation Initiatives

On August 3, 2023, Malay's municipal council rescinded its earlier approval of the Phase 2 project within its territory, a decision echoed by the Nabaoy Barangay Council due to concerns about potential risks to potable water sources. Additionally, town officials issued two resolutions, urging PetroWind Energy, Inc. (PWEI) to halt both the project and road construction. They also called on the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to cancel the Special Use Agreement in Protected Areas (Sapa) permit under the E-Nipas Act of 2018.

Non-governmental organizations like PhilinCon actively contribute to the conservation of remaining low-land rainforests in the Central Philippines, particularly in Panay Island. Their main focus is on protecting, preserving, and rehabilitating the country's few remaining rainforests, emphasizing the Northwest Panay Peninsula Natural Park (NPPNP). PhilinCon also works towards providing sustainable livelihoods for local families as an alternative to engaging in illegal activities. Educational initiatives and community awareness programs about the importance of nature and conservation are integral to their efforts.

To counter PWEI's wind farm expansion, various groups, including PhilinCon, Aklan Trekkers, Wildlife Conservation Protection Society, Living Laudato Si Philippines, Diocese of Antique Social Action Center, Boracay Foundation Inc., Pandan, Antique Union for Conservation, Rotary Club of Metro Kalibo, Aklan Press Club, and Antique Trail Runners, have formed the Protect Northwest Panay Peninsula Natural Park Coalition. This coalition has initiated an online petition to oppose the project and actively supports sustainable conservation efforts to protect the NPPNP.

Call for Action

There exist more sustainable approaches to generating green energy that do not involve causing devastation to our rivers, communities, and mountains. We need to take a hard look at how our actions are impacting both the environment and the people living nearby.

We strongly recommend that the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and other involved agencies review the permits granted for PetroWind Energy, Inc.'s (PWEI) Northwest Panay Peninsula (NWPP) project and assess its impact on the ecosystem, biodiversity, and communities.

Violators should be held accountable, and adherence to forest laws and policies must be strictly enforced. LGUs should strengthen Bantay Gubat (forest guardians) and create more local reserves outside of protected areas, such as reforestation zones and coastal marine reserves, as part of their efforts to safeguard the environment. It's time for a team effort — the local government, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), environmental groups, and local communities should join hands to manage the natural park better.

Education and community awareness should never be neglected, as awareness is essential for fulfilling our shared responsibility in managing and protecting our resources. 

 

Let's not settle for quick fixes that end up causing more harm in the long run and choose to search for better sustainable projects that do not harm our environment. The Northwest Panay Peninsula Natural Park (NPPNP) provides so much—way more than any destructive industrial development could. So, let's stand strong for the real values of sustainability and team up to protect NPPNP.

 

Think of the one thing you treasured as a kid.  

 

Now, think of doing the same for protected areas like the NPPNP.