World · Philippines Bureau
Boac bishop rallies support for Verde Island Passage marine protection
The bishop of Boac has joined coastal communities and fisherfolk in calling for stronger marine safeguards in the Verde Island Passage, one of the region's most biodiverse waters. The ecclesiastical leader's backing adds religious and moral weight to efforts aimed at securing justice and defending municipal fishing rights.
LSN Philippines ·
CALAPAN CITY — Bishop Edwin O. Panergo of the Diocese of Boac has expressed solidarity with coastal residents and fishing communities dependent on the Verde Island Passage, endorsing intensified calls for marine conservation and protection of local waters.
In a pastoral message issued from the diocese, Bishop Panergo voiced support for Caritas Philippines' initiative to safeguard the ecologically significant Verde Island Passage, which sustains livelihoods across multiple municipalities in the region.
The bishop's intervention underscores growing concern among church leaders, environmental advocates, and local communities over threats facing the passage's rich biodiversity and the fishing grounds that support thousands of families. His statement emphasizes the need for justice-centered approaches that balance environmental protection with the rights of municipal waters users.
The Verde Island Passage, located between Mindoro and Batangas, is recognized as one of the world's most biodiverse marine ecosystems. Advocacy groups have pressed government agencies to implement stronger regulatory frameworks to prevent illegal fishing, environmental degradation, and external encroachment on local fishing territories.