By HENRY EMPEÑO | August 18, 2025

MASINLOC, Zambales — Central Luzon’s lone marine protected area, the Masinloc and Oyon Bay Protected Landscape and Seascape (MOBPLS) in this town, is competing in the 2025 “Para El Mar” (For the Seas) Awards, which recognizes excellence in the conservation and governance of marine protected areas (MPAs).

The Masinloc-Oyon Bay, which extends from the Bani Point northwest of Masinloc town to the shores of Barangay Pangolingan in Palauig town in the south, has been nominated in the Outstanding Locally Managed MPA category, the Region III Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR-III) office in San Fernando, Pampanga said.

According to DENR-III, the MOBPLS “has emerged as a model for integrated conservation” through the efforts of the agency and the local Protected Area Management Board (PAMB).

The MOBPLS, which is dominated by the San Salvador Island, has long been a center for marine conservation programs here. Previous projects include the establishment of the San Salvador Island fish sanctuary and the two-hectare “Taklobo Farm,” a marine sanctuary for giant clams (Tridacna gigas).

Masinloc Bay also features the distinctive “Mangrove Island” that is home to rare mangrove species like Rhizophora stylosa and the hybrid Rhizophora x lamarckii. The threatened blue-spotted rabbitfish (Siganus corallines) is among the flagship species in the bay, which also harbors mesophotic corals that thrive in low-light conditions.

Masinloc Community Environment and Natural Resources Officer Donaver Guevarra, who also heads the Masinloc PAMB, said local conservation efforts in the bay focus on protected area management, law enforcement, biodiversity assessment, and mangrove rehabilitation, as well as biodiversity-friendly livelihood programs.

“Along with community awareness and education initiatives, our team likewise ensures strict monitoring and patrolling to prevent illegal activities, such as the construction of unauthorized structures, marine pollution, ecosystem destruction, and destructive fishing practices,” Guevarra said.

Taking pride in the MOBPLS nomination, DENR Regional Executive Director Engr. Ralph Pablo said the citation “highlights the value of collaborative governance, community empowerment, and science-based conservation.”

“It affirms that when we work together, we can protect our marine heritage and inspire a new generation of stewards,” Pablo added.

The “Para El Mar” Awards, which was launched in 2007 under the auspices of the Marine Protected Areas Support Network, is a biennial event that honors the best locally-managed protected area networks in the country and recognizes initiatives in the maintenance, protection and conservation of marine resources.

Judging for the 2025 Para El Mar Awards will be on September 17–18, 2025 in Iloilo City. The awards is expected to bring together champions of marine protection from across the country. 