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MANILA—The Senate is set to pass on third and final reading a bill declaring the Apo Reef in Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro as a protected area.

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile on Thursday said the upper chamber will finish its legislative agenda when it resumes session Monday and will try to pass 13 bills up for third reading, including Senate Bill No. 2393, which seeks to declare the Apo Reef as a protected area.

“We will buckle down to work on Monday, January 18 and will do our best to pass at least 13 bills next week,” Enrile said.

Apo Reef is the second largest contiguous coral reef in the world and the largest one in the Philippines.

The Apo Reef Natural Park consists of the three islands. Apo Reef is the largest among the three islands. It has a shallow lagoon with a depth of 2 meters to 10 meters surrounded by mangrove forest which serves as source of food, nursery and spawning ground of several coastal and marine species of fauna and sanctuary of birds.

Its diverse corals are approximately 34 square kilometers of reef where different species of fish, marine mammals and invertebrates thrive.


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