PEMSEA Signs Headquarters Agreement with the Philippine Government

 

Quezon City, Philippines — The Government of the Philippines and the Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA) signed an agreement which formalizes the hosting of PEMSEA in the Philippines. The signing occurred last 31 July 2012 at the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in Pasay City, Philippines.

 

The Agreement was signed by Hon. Albert F. Del Rosario, Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Prof. Raphael P.M. Lotilla, Executive Director of the PEMSEA Resource Facility.

 

"With the signing of its headquarters agreement, the Philippines renews its partnership with PEMSEA and looks forward to further future cooperation with PEMSEA, not only in the continuation of projects for the sustainable development, use and management of Philippine and regional coastal and marine resources, but also in other areas such as natural and man-made hazard prevention, pollution and waste reduction, and food security and livelihood management. This new headquarters agreement also manifests the Philippine government's commitment to protect and preserve the environment, particularly our seas, and manage it in a sustainable way to support our development priorities," Secretary Del Rosario said in his remarks.

 

"PEMSEA worked with the Philippines in obtaining political support for a common vision in the region and these efforts resulted in the adoption of the Sustainable Development Strategy for the Seas of East Asian 2003 by 14 countries. In 2006, 11 countries decided to mandate the PEMSEA Resource Facility, based in Manila, as the regional coordinating mechanism for the implementation of the SDS-SEA. In 2009, a number of countries including, the Host Government, signed an agreement recognizing the international legal personality of PEMSEA," explained Prof. Lotilla during the signing.

 

The signing of the Agreement was witnessed by several DFA officials including Mr. Eduardo Martin R. Meñez, Assistant Secretary of the Division of UN and other International Organizations (UNIO); and Ms. Kira Christianne Dangangan-Azucena, Executive Director, UNIO.

 

Mr. Stephen Adrian Ross, PEMSEA Chief Technical Officer, Mr. Guo Yinfeng, PEMSEA Programme Specialist, and Ms. Nancy Bermas, PEMSEA Senior Country Manager for the Philippines also witnessed the signing.

 

Representing the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) were Hon. Annaliza R. Teh, Undersecretary and Chief of Staff; Mr. Jacob Meimban, Executive Director, Coastal Marine and Management Office; Mr. Noel Gaerlan, Executive Director, Manila Bay Coordinating Office; and Ms. Jeslina Gorospe, Project Evaluation Officer.

 

As host country, the Philippines will continue to provide PEMSEA access and exclusive use of land and equipment as well as other services and facilities. The Philippines has hosted the PEMSEA since 1993 at the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Compound in Quezon City, as part of the Philippines' contribution to the enhancement of sustainable coastal development in the East Asian Seas region. The agreement also provided the grant of privileges, immunities and facilities by the Government to PEMSEA to ensure its full functions and operations to achieve its goals and objectives.