The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is reviewing five agreements on the 215,950-hectare Sarangani Bay Protected Seascape to ensure that the contracts abide by existing policies. The review is being undertaken in compliance with a directive by former DENR Secretary Roy Cimatu to convert all compliant instruments into special use agreements in protected areas (SAPAs) pursuant to the provisions of Republic Act 7586 or the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) Act of 1992, as amended by RA 11038, otherwise known as the Expanded NIPAS (ENIPAS) Act of 2018. The law allows the grant of tenure instrument to certain development projects called “special uses,” except in strict nature reserves and in designated strict protection zones, for a term of 25 years, renewable for the same length of period.

Araja, R. N. (2022, June 3). DENR reviews Sarangani Bay protective seascape accords. Manila Standard, p. A3.