President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has signed laws declaring a parcel of land in Tarlac and the waters surrounding Panaon Island in Southern Leyte as protected areas under the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS).

A copy of Republic Acts (RAs) 12237 and 12238 signed by Marcos on Aug. 29 was published in The Official Gazette on Friday.

According to RA 12237, a parcel of land located in the municipalities of Mayantoc and San Jose in Tarlac province will be known as the Mt. Sawtooth Protected Landscape.

The protected area in Southern Leyte, on the other hand, will be referred to as the Panaon Island Protected Seascape, based on RA 12238.

The declaration of protected areas under the NIPAS is cognizant of the profound impact of human activity on all components of the natural environment, and aims to secure for the present and future generations of Filipinos the perpetual existence of all ecologically important flora and fauna.

RAs 12237 and 12238 facilitate the creation of the Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) that will be chaired by the regional executive director of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

Other members are representatives of the provincial government and various concerned offices and agencies.

The laws also establish a trust fund that will finance projects of the protected areas.

The PAMB will retain 75 percent of all revenues raised, to be deposited in the Protected Area-Retained Income Account in any authorized government depository bank within the locality.

The fund may be augmented by grants, donations, and endowment from domestic or foreign sources.

The remaining 25 percent will be deposited as a special account in the General Fund in the National Treasury for financing the programs and projects of the NIPAS.

“The fund shall be deposited in full as a special account in the National Treasury and disbursements therefrom shall be made solely for the protection, maintenance, administration, and management of the NIPAS and duly approved projects endorsed by the PAMB in accordance with existing accounting, budgeting, and auditing rules and regulations,” the laws read.

The fund must not be used for personal services expenditures, according to the laws.

The RAs take effect 15 days after publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. (PNA)