MVP, RSA, Aboitiz tie up with DOE, DENR for Verde Island Passage conservation
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Businesses led by tycoons Manuel Pangilinan, Ramon Ang, and Sabin Aboitiz agreed to form a technical working group (TWG) with the Departments of Energy (DOE) and the Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to conserve and protect the Verde Island Passage (VIP).
Under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed in Makati on Tuesday, the agreement involves the formation a TWG within the next 30 days, which will then provide a framework for the specific roles to be taken to protect and conserve the VIP’s marine biodiversity for the next five years.
The agreement was inked by the private sector parties Pangilinan-led Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC), Ang-led San Miguel Corp. (SMC)., Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc., along with government agencies DOE and the DENR.
To recall, the private sector parties in March said Meralco PowerGen Corp. (MGen), and Aboitiz Power Corp. (AP) will jointly invest in two of San Miguel Global Power Holdings Corp. (SMGP), including the Ilijan Power Plant which is close to the vicinity of the VIP.
Located between the Luzon and Mindoro islands, the VIP is dubbed as the “center of the center of marine shore fish biodiversity in the world,” encompassing the provinces of Batangas, Marinduque, Romblon, and Mindoro.
“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 at ensuring the longevity of one of the world’s most biodiverse marine ecosystems,” DENR Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga said.
During the signing ceremony, Pangilinan said that among the possible partnerships are testing for water conditions and temperature in the area, which could impact marine life moving forward.
“We must make sure that — in our quest to provide clean, reliable, and affordable energy to our people — we also pay attention to safeguarding the environment and communities we serve,” he said.—AOL, GMA Integrated News
This article MVP, RSA, Aboitiz tie up with DOE, DENR for Verde Island Passage conservation was originally published in GMA News Online.