Philippine President Meets with EAS Congress Co-organizers and PEMSEA

Manila, Philippines — President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo discussed preparations for the hosting by the Philippines of the East Asian Seas Congress 2009 with Environment Secretary Jose L. Atienza, Jr., the Conference host, Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto G. Romulo, PEMSEA Resource Facility (PRF) Executive Director Raphael P.M. Lotilla, UNDP Philippines Country Director Renaud Meyer, East Asian Seas Partnership Council Chair Dr. Chua Thia-Eng and PRF Chief Technical Officer Adrian Ross in a meeting held at Malacañang on 12 March 2009.President Macapagal-Arroyo was also presented with published reports on work completed by DENR and PEMSEA in Manila Bay, and the coastal Provinces of Batangas and Bataan. The publications included the Manila Bay Area Environmental Atlas, the State of the Coasts of Batangas Province and the Coastal and Land Use Zoning Plan of Bataan Province. Dr. Chua Thia-Eng presented PGMA with the publication Securing the Oceans: Essays on Ocean Governance, which PEMSEA produced in cooperation with the Nippon Foundation.The EAS Congress is expected to be attended by 1000 participants from within and outside the East Asian Seas Region. Held every three years, this year's Congress will focus on sharing Local Implementation and Good Practices in Sustainable Development and Integrated Coastal Management in the coasts and oceans of the region.The EAS Congress will include a Ministerial Forum to be hosted by Secretary Atienza, with Ministers from the East Asian Seas region. The theme of the Forum will be Climate Change Adaptation through Integrated Coastal Management. President Macapagal-Arroyo will be invited to formally open the Ministerial Forum, which commences on 26 November 2009.PEMSEA has been hosted by the Philippine Government through the Department of Environment and Natural Resources since 1994.