‘PH still committed to sustainable coastal devt’
THE Philippines remains committed to sustainable coastal development as it continues to support regional efforts on the sustainable use of coastal and marine ecosystems, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said.
According to Analiza Rebuelta Teh, Environment undersecretary for climate change and mining concerns, the country’s affiliation with intergovernmental marine organization Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (Pemsea) led to the adoption and implementation of the Integrated Coastal Management (ICM) program under Executive Order (EO) 533.
ICM helped government agencies and private organizations achieve social and economic development targets by addressing the governance of human activities affecting the sustainable use of coastal and marine ecosystems through certain processes and supporting tools.
One of the ICM’s most successful projects in the country was habitat protection, restoration and management in Batangas province. Under this project, 14 coastal municipalities and stakeholders set up a network of marine protected areas to manage and protect fishery resources, coral reefs, sea grass beds, and mangrove forests.
As a result, “Batangas residents have benefited from increased fish catch and abundance, and the return of important fish species,” Teh said.
Other ICM project sites include the provinces of Bataan, Mindoro, Camarines Sur, Guimaras, and Misamis Oriental, DENR said.
Such projects highlight the country’s initiatives that support the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals, the Sustainable Development Development Strategy for the Seas of East Asia, and the blue economy development in the region, it added.
The statement came ahead of the East Asia Seas Congress that the DENR and Pemsea will hold in Iloilo City, Iloilo province from November 27 to 30.
“The Philippines fully recognizes the magnitude and importance of the ministerial forum as a milestone event that engages policy dialogue and facilitates greater regional commitment and cooperation among Pemsea country and non-country partners,” Teh said.
Issued in June 2006, EO 533 adopted the ICM as a national strategy to ensure the sustainable development of the country’s coastal and marine environment and resources, and establish supporting mechanisms for its implementation.
The law recognizes ICM as “an effective approach to sustainable coastal and marine development with demonstrated benefits in enhancing economic growth, ecosystem protection, promotion of social equity, and the quality of life of the people.”
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