Last January 28, I had the opportunity, on the invitation of the Foundation for National Interest (FNI) and the UP Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea (IMALOS), to participate as a panelist in the fifth Kwentong Mandaragat webinar series which focused on the “Philippine Blue Economy: Opportunities and Challenges for Sustainable Marine Economic Development”. The webinar centered on optimizing the benefits and opportunities offered by the archipelagic configuration of the country and at the same time identify measures to address the increasing threats to the sustainability of the marine ecosystem.

The problems affecting our maritime domain are varied as they are complex and which continue to escalate due to neglect by and apathy of those who are bestowed the task of protecting the maritime space and by those who either carry out their trade at sea or who exploit the country’s marine resources and bounty. Illegal, unregulated, and unreported fishing or IUU which include the use of unsustainable fishing methods, discharge of harmful and noxious substances into the marine environment, marine litter, and other practices continue to exact severe damage to the seas and marine resources.