Partner-sites of Malampaya Foundation Inc. (MFI) bagged multiple awards in the recently concluded 2025 Para El Mar Awards conferred by the Marine Protected Areas (MPA) Support Network.
Ranzo Fish Sanctuary in Pinamalayan, Oriental Mindoro claimed first place; Pulong Bato Fishery Refuge and Sanctuary in Isla Verde, Batangas City secured second place; and Punta Ilag Fish Sanctuary in San Teodoro, Oriental Mindoro earned a special prize, all in the Locally Managed Marine Protected Area category.
Since partnering with MFI in 2013, Ranzo Fish Sanctuary has become a model of progressive marine conservation. Its performance and results have consistently improved over the years, evidenced by its Para El Mar accolades: third place in 2019, second place in 2023, and first place this year.
Meanwhile, Pulong Bato Fishery Refuge and Sanctuary’s second-place finish showed the transformative impact of strategic conservation. The site, since becoming an MFI partner in 2017, has gradually expanded over the years, with the most significant expansion happening in 2020, when it grew from just 1.7 hectares to 539 hectares. It now stands as a critical guardian of the Verde Island Passage, globally recognized as the “center of the center of marine biodiversity.”
Punta Ilag Fish Sanctuary’s special recognition for proven protection protocols demonstrates that effective marine protection requires more than boundaries–it demands commitment. The site, an MFI partner since 2013, has become a benchmark for community-led compliance and stewardship.
Established in 2005, MFI is the social development arm of Malampaya joint venture led by Prime Energy, with partners Prime Oil and Gas Inc. UC38 LLC, and the PNOC Exploration Corporation.
“These awards validate what we have always known: that communities are the best stewards of their own marine resources. When local governments, fisherfolk, and partners work together with shared commitment, the results speak for themselves: healthier reefs, more abundant fish stocks, and stronger coastal livelihoods,” said Donnabel Kuizon Cruz, Prime Energy President and CEO.
MFI has been collaborating with coastal communities in critical marine ecosystems for more than a decade now. Through technical assistance, capacity building, and resource support, the foundation has helped partner-sites strengthen enforcement mechanisms, restore damaged habitats, and implement science-based management approaches that balance conservation with community needs.
The Para El Mar Awards highlight the essential role of locally managed conservation in securing the Philippines’ marine heritage and the millions of Filipinos who depend on healthy seas for their survival. They are given to individuals and organizations that ensure the preservation of marine protected areas nationwide.
