Breadcrumb
Philippines
Capital:
Manila
Land Area:
298,170km²
Inland Water Area:
1,830km²
Length of Coastline:
36,289km
A global center of marine diversity, an archipelago with more than 7,100 islands, and one of the longest coastlines in the world, the Philippines provides visitors with access to all that is wondrous and beautiful about the ocean and coastal resources, as well as insights into the challenges to sustainable development and management of those very resources. The country is confronted with the enormous challenge of finding a suitable path to food security, sustainable livelihood, poverty alleviation and reduction of vulnerability to natural hazards, while protecting ecological integrity and strengthening economic growth. Responding to this challenge, integrated coastal management (ICM) has emerged, through practice, as a better alternative in the governance of coastal and marine areas. In as much as the Philippines is an ocean-dependent country, application of ICM is of vital importance to the country’s long-term social and economic development.
The issuance of Executive Order (EO) 533 on 6 June 2006 adopting ICM as the policy framework for the sustainable development of the coastal and marine environment and resources is considered a significant milestone in the long history of coastal management in the Philippines. An ICM Bill filed at the Senate and House of Representatives, which captures the provisions of the EO, aims to institutionalize ICM through the enactment of the Bill into ICM Act.
In 2013, PEMSEA assisted the DENR to draft a National ICM Program for Sustainable Development of the Coastal and Marine Environment and Resources of the Philippines, as mandated by EO 533. The program targeted developing and implementing effective ICM programs in partnership with local governments, covering more than 20% of the country’s coastline over the next 5 years. In 2015, the Philippine Government signed the Da Nang Compact along with 10 other East Asian countries, committing to scale up ICM to cover 25% of the regional coastline . An independent Third-Party Assessment (TPA) was conducted in 2017 to objectively evaluate ICM program coverage in the country, to benchmark the ICM processes and controls that have been established in selected provinces and municipalities against the requirements of PEMSEA’s ICM Code, and to provide guidance on the standardization, streamlining and strengthening the national ICM program. The results of the TPA has confirmed the Philippines achievement in ICM scaling up where the assessment of 32 coastal provinces (out of 64) covered an estimated coastline of 9.747 km or 26.85% of the Philippine coastline.
With a view of promoting convergence and collaboration among concerned agencies and related programs at various scales, the Philippines through DENR has established partnerships for: a) the joint protection of the Sulu-Sulawesi Marine Ecoregion with Indonesia and Malaysia in partnership with GIZ; b) collaboration with the University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute for the Philippine Rise Initiative; c) implementing the GEF/UNDP- SMARTSeas Project; d) the multilateral partnership for the Coral Triangle Initiative; and e) managing Key Biodiversity Areas of Southeast Asia in partnership with the ASEAN Center for Biodiversity. Through EO 510, the DENR has developed the Integrated River Basin Development and Management Framework, which provides the blueprint for protecting the country’s priority river basins by reducing pollution and ensuring the sustainable supply of clean and safe water for all.
Focal Points:
Atty. Analiza Rebuelta-Teh (National Focal Point)
Undersecretary for Finance, Information Systems and Climate Change, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)
Ms. Jeslina Gorospe
Chief, Project Monitoring and Evaluation Division, Foreign-Assisted and Special Projects Service (FASPS), DENR
c/o Ms. Khasmer Marbella
Project Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, FASPS, DENR
RELATED PUBLICATIONS
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PEMSEA EBulletin - June 2024
Dear PEMSEA community,
Welcome to the June e-bulletin.
This month, the Arafura Timor Seas Ecosystem Action Project conducted the Senior Government Officials Meeting to finalize preparations for the Arafura and Timor Seas (ATS) Ministerial Forum which will be held in Dili, Timor Leste on 19-20 Setember 2024. The month also saw the passing of new fisheries management legislation in the South Fly District of Papua New Guinea.
The annual PEMSEA Network of Local Governments (PNLG) Executive Committee Meeting saw the induction of a new associate member, the Dongying Huanhai Institute for Marine Conservation and Development. PEMSEA's Marine Plastics Project held several Ocean Day initiatives throughout the Philippines, in cooperation with local government, NGOs, and academe. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR), China, released a new assessment on China’s coastal and marine ecosystems, documenting challenges and successes for China's marine and coastal areas.
The program for the East Asian Seas Congress 2024 has been released. The congress has four subthemes: Ocean Science, Policy, and Practice; Global Challenges, Local Solutions; Innovation and Digitalization of Ocean Action; and Blue Financing and Investments. We invite all interested parties to register for the Congress, that will take place on 6-8 November in Xiamen. China.
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PEMSEA Annual Report 2023: Thirty Years On: Accelerating Impact for Thriving Coasts and Ocean in the East Asian Seas Region
Thirty years of inclusive sustainable development work in the coastal and marine areas of the East Asian Seas region have brought significant benefits and lasting impacts to PEMSEA partners and communities. The Annual Report 2023 brings you the stories and milestones of the Partnerships, commemorating the thirty years of Partnerships, and looks ahead to a new decade of inclusive and sustainable ocean governance in the East Asian Seas region.
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PEMSEA EBulletin - May 2024
Dear PEMSEA community,
Welcome to the May e-bulletin.
This month, PEMSEA gratefully received many expressions of interest to convene sessions on various coastal and marine themes at the EAS Congress 2024 on 6-8 November 2024, noting the importance of learning exchange and pursuing more collaborative actions to tackle global challenges. The IRBM project has released its second 2024 newsletter, highlighting key progress, including a Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) analysis of planned activities to ensure equitable resource distribution and conflict prevention. PEMSEA attended the Asia-Pacific Dialogue on Blue Economy to help build a shared understanding of blue economy and financing. ASEAN has released the Sixth ASEAN State of the Environment Report, and PEMSEA is monitoring the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee's discussions on a legally binding instrument on plastic pollution to incorporate relevant insights into its regional projects.
We would like to take this opportunity to invite all interested parties to register for the East Asian Seas Congress 2024, with early bird rates available until 30 June.