The Committee on Ecology is finalizing a bill that seeks to protect and conserve endangered marine species in the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) by giving stiffer penalties to violators.
Committee Chairman Rep. Danilo Ramon Fernandez (1st District, Laguna) said a technical working group is already crafting a bill out of House Resolutions 1128, 1233 and 1363, emphasizing the urgent need for stiffer penalties to arrest the rampant cases of illegal harvesting of corals and other environmentally damaging activities in the Philippine territorial seas. 
Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, (2nd District, Cagayan de Oro City), who proposed the crafting of the bill, also recommended to the committee to conduct an ocular inspection of the contested waters around the Pag-asa Island in the Kalayaan island chain this January.
House Resolution 1128 filed by Rodriguez directs the Committee on Ecology to conduct an inquiry in aid of legislation, on the reports that the Philippines is very vulnerable to coral reef degradation while HR 1233 filed by Rep. Emmeline Aglipay (Party-List, DIWA) directs the Committee on Aquaculture and Fisheries to conduct an inquiry, in aid of legislation, into the continuing illegal exportation and exploitation of Philippine corals, as well as the degradation of Philippine reefs.
On the other hand, HR 1363, filed by Rep. Rachel Arenas (3rd District, Pangasinan) directs the Committee on Ecology and the Special Committee on East Asean Growth Area to conduct an inquiry, in aid of legislation, on the harvest and illegal trade of endangered marine species in the coast of BIMP-EAGA islands in Mindanao and Palawan, resulting in the destruction of sea bed. The said coast is protected by the convention on the international trade in endangered species (CITES).
All three resolutions were already adopted by the House of Representatives.
Rodriguez filed the resolution after three tons of illegally harvested corals were seized in Cebu on March 10, March 31 and April 9, 2011.
Citing reports, Rodriguez said an American firm called "Shell Horizon", allegedly engaged openly in the bulk sale of illegally exported corals, "in blatant disregard of their acquisition in violation of Philippine law and the provisions of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna."
Rodriguez added that Shell Horizon identifies itself as the "Largest Wholesaler of Seashells and Seashells products, Finest Quality Seashells and Souvenirs" in the United States, a statement which clearly shows that the firm is engaged in commercial enterprise, and not research or education, as specified in Sec. 3 of the Philippine Fisheries Code giving exemption or permit to research institutions to gather in limited quantities for scientific or research purposes, except those coral species listed in CITES.
Rodriguez, Aglipay and Arenas also expressed concern over reports that at present, only about 5% coral reefs remain in excellent condition, and even those not in danger from human hands are threatened by coral bleaching caused by climate change, the past year having seen the biggest bleaching to occur in the Philippines seas since 1998.
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