Mangrove Matters PH Joins Victory Meeting After Controversial Jetty Port Construction on Apo Island Receives a Cease and Desist Order

Last Saturday (August 10th), Mangrove Matters PH joined environmental advocates in celebrating a significant conservation victory during a meeting with the Sustainable Environment Alliance for Negros Island (SEAN) and Silliman University (SU). The celebration followed the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Biodiversity Management Bureau's (BMB) issuance of a Cease and Desist Order (CDO) against the controversial jetty port construction on Apo Island Protected Landscape and Seascape (AIPLS).

The environmental coalition SEAN was formed on March 1st by various organizations and associations across Negros Oriental. The date holds special significance as it marks the birthday of the late Dr. Angel C. Alcala, renowned as the father of Marine Protected Areas, founder of Silliman Marine Laboratory, former DENR Secretary, and National Scientist. Dr. Alcala established the AIPLS as the Philippines' second Marine Protected Area in 1982, cementing its importance in marine conservation history.

The controversy began on November 22, 2024, when the Mayor of Dauin and the Barangay Captain of Apo Island first proposed the jetty construction to the AIPLS Protected Area Management Board (PAMB). Officials justified the project as necessary for the "comfort and convenience" of tourists and visitors to the island.

However, the proposal met immediate resistance from local residents who understood the devastating environmental consequences. Community members expressed concerns that the construction would destroy vital coastal and marine resources that have been protected for over four decades.

Dr. Aileen P. Maypa, Director of SU Institute of Environmental and Marine Resources (IEMS), Pew Marine Fellow, and distinguished marine scientist, emerged as a key figure in supporting local opposition to the project. Her scientific expertise provided crucial backing to community concerns about environmental destruction, together with the other conveners of SEAN.

The opposition effort became a collaborative movement, with multiple environmental groups submitting position statements and formal letters to the DENR BMB requesting immediate investigation. Their primary concern was that construction had begun without securing required permits, including Biodiversity Clearance, Environmental Impact Assessment, and Special-use Agreement in the Protected Area (SAPA) – all mandatory under Republic Act 11038 (Expanded NIPAS Act).

The BMB investigation confirmed environmentalists' worst fears. Officials discovered that no Environmental Impact Assessment had been conducted despite the project's significant potential impact on critical marine ecosystems, including coral reefs, seagrass beds, and natural limestone formations. The investigation also highlighted threats to fish migration patterns and sea turtle breeding grounds.

In July 2025, the Undersecretary for Legal and Administration and the Supervising Undersecretary for BMB issued a definitive order: "This Office hereby instructs the discontinuation of the project at its current site, as it falls within the Strict Protection Zone (SPZ) of the AIPLS, a protected area under the NIPAS. The site's ecological sensitivity and the risks posed by the project to the marine habitat and resources necessitate this action."

The order emphasized that "the AIPLS is designated for biodiversity protection and must remain protected from unnecessary and potentially harmful human interventions."

Taking the matter further, the BMB recommended filing appropriate legal charges against those responsible for violations of Republic Act No. 7586 (National Integrated Protected Areas System Act) and Republic Act No. 11038 (Expanded NIPAS Act).

This victory represents more than just stopping one destructive project – it demonstrates the power of unified environmental advocacy and the importance of protecting the Philippines' marine heritage. The AIPLS, established over 40 years ago by Dr. Alcala's visionary conservation work, continues to serve as a model for marine protection when communities, scientists, and government agencies work together to enforce environmental laws.

For Mangrove Matters PH and our partners in SEAN and SU, this success reinforces our commitment to protecting the Philippines' precious marine ecosystems for future generations.