The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Department of Energy (DOE), have entered into a first-of-its-kind partnership with three of the country’s top conglomerates to protect and preserve the Verde Island Passage (VIP), an internationally recognized critical biodiversity area in the country.

Aboitiz Equity Ventures (AEV), Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC), and San Miguel Corporation (SMC) have all pledged to support the government’s environmental and community development efforts for the VIP in a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signing last May 7.

“As a framework for joint stewardship and sustainable development, this historic initiative not only underscores the collective commitment to environmental preservation but also heralds a new era of public-private collaboration aimed at ensuring the longevity of one of the world’s most biodiverse marine ecosystems,” DENR Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo Loyzaga said.

The VIP is a strait that spans the provinces of Batangas, Marinduque, Romblon, Oriental Mindoro, and Occidental Mindoro and separates Mindoro island from Luzon. The strait’s 1.4 million hectares is home to over 1,700 fish species and 300 coral species, forming a biodiversity zone that marine experts cited as the “center of the center of marine shore fish biodiversity.” In 2023, the VIP was named a ‘Hope Spot’ by the international marine conservation nonprofit organization, Mission Blue, which states that the strait is globally recognized to be critical to the health of the ocean.

The MOU details how the DENR and DOE will partner with AEV, SMC, and MPIC to collaborate with local governments, non-government organizations, international development groups, experts, and coastal communities, among others, and commit to supporting projects that promote the conservation, protection, and enhancement of biodiversity and coastal marine resources of the VIP.

Among the MOU’s objectives  include supporting clean energy transition towards sustainable and resilient low carbon development, establishing Marine Science Research Stations in the VIP  to advance science, policy and practices needed by the industry, committing to the responsible stewardship and sustainable access and use of the VIP’s coastal and marine resources,  and creating stakeholder platforms to ensure the welfare of surrounding communities.

“We express our appreciation to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Aboitiz Equity Ventures, MVP Group of Companies and San Miguel Power Corporation for committing to the responsible stewardship and sustainable access and use of the Verde Island Passage in pursuit of the government’s overall energy agenda that aim to facilitate access to affordable energy, ensure a reliable and resilient energy supply, and transition to clean, sustainable and climate centered energy resources,” DOE Secretary Raphael P.M. Lotilla said.

To support the government’s sustainable energy goals, Aboitiz Power Corporation (AP), the Aboitiz Group’s power generation arm, has been actively expanding its clean energy initiatives and renewable energy (RE) power plants. AP currently has over 1,000 MW of ongoing clean energy projects, with full operations targeted within the next three years.