Philippines Commits USD 165 Million to Protecting the Ocean
ATHENS 26 April 2024 – The Philippines has committed USD 165.56 Million worth of initiatives to protect the oceans and marine biodiversity during the high-level luncheon meeting of Heads of Delegation on 16 April 2024 at the sidelines of the 9th Our Ocean Conference, 15-17 April 2024 at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center (SNFCC), Athens, Greece. Undersecretary for Legal Administration Ernesto D. Adobo, Jr. of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Co-head of the Philippine Delegation, delivered the Philippine statement during the meeting.
Undersecretary Adobo stated that the commitment will focus on four programs. The first program is the Marine Protected Areas or MPAs wherein the Philippines aims to protect a projected 4.85% to 15.91% of its national waters by 2028 in line with the global goal of protecting 30% of land and sea areas by 2023 under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. The second is the “Great Blue Wall Initiative” which will establish a nationwide network of MPAs to support both conservation and a thriving blue economy. While the third is the “Ocean Science Research Program” wherein new research stations will be built across the Philippines to gather crucial data which is essential in informed ocean management decisions. Finally, the fourth program is the “Fisheries and Coastal Resiliency Project” which is a World Bank-funded project promoting sustainable fisheries management through the development of management plans and conduct of critical habitat studies.
Undersecretary Adobo said that the Philippines being a maritime nation recognizes the ocean’s vital role in climate regulation and sustaining the global economy and at the same time understands the need to strengthen global efforts to protect the oceans and marine biodiversity. He highlighted the importance of the collective efforts and commitments of governments, organizations, communities and individuals in protecting the oceans and addressing major threats such as climate change, loss of biodiversity and pollution. He said that the Philippines will actively contribute to such global endeavors through the implementation of various programs, including the four new initiatives. END
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