The small municipality of Enrique Villanueva on biodiversity-rich waters of Siquijor Island province prides itself of having its third marine protected area when the Bitaug MPA was recently launched. It is the largest MPA in the province and in Western Visayas. Covering nearly 150 hectares of a rich marine ecosystem, Bitaug’s declaration as an MPA is a testament to the power of persistence, strong community leadership, and multi-sectoral collaboration. It stands as an inspiring model for other coastal municipalities in the province to strengthen marine protection and conservation efforts.

Mayuga, J. L. (2025, August 31). Bitaug Marine Protected Area: A beacon for community-led marine protection. BusinessMirror, p. A7.