THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) moves closer to setting up an Ocean Environment Bureau, with plans to finalize the full organization of the Ocean Environment Task Force (OETF) by the second quarter of 2025.
The DENR announced this development during the forum “Strengthening Philippines-France Cooperation for a Sustainable Blue Economy,” organized by the Stratbase Institute in partnership with the Embassy of France in the Philippines.
Environment Undersecretary and OETF Vice chairperson Augusto Dela Peña explained that the OETF aims to enhance ocean governance, align national policies with international commitments, and incorporate scientific data into policy-making.
“Our goal is to drive organizational transformation within DENR for more effective ocean conservation. To achieve this vision, we have established the roadmap for the full organization of the Task Force in Q2 2025,” Dela Pena said.
The OETF is tasked with enhancing ocean governance, integrating science into policy, and aligning national strategies with global commitments. Ultimately, the DENR aims to institutionalize this task force as a permanent bureau.
During the forum, experts also stressed the importance of a multi-stakeholder approach, involving policymakers, the private sector, communities, and international partners, particularly France, in the development of the country’s blue economy.
French Ambassador to the Philippines Marie Fontanel emphasized the importance of the blue economy to the Philippines and France, citing its role in economic development, food security, and climate resilience.
“Our shared responsibility is to combine economic development with environmental protection. France is fully committed to this dynamic, bringing its expertise in marine resource management, innovation for sustainable ocean exploitation, and the fight against illegal fishing,” Fontanel said.
“We are convinced that dialogue and the sharing of best practices are key to building a future where economic growth and marine ecosystem preservation go hand in hand,” she added.
Stratbase Institute president Dindo Manhit echoed this sentiment, highlighting the value of collaboration with like-minded nations in advancing the country’s maritime future.
“France, with its extensive experience in developing its blue economy, is a natural ally or partner in this endeavor. The avenues for discussion and collaborations are as vast as the potential of our seas,” Manhit said.
“We have now identified this growth area, bolstered by pronouncement from the executive and initiatives from the legislature. Now we are emboldened by the show of cooperation and partnership by an established blue nation in France, and driven by a desire to maximize the benefits of our resources and channel them to the ultimate good of the Philippine people,” Manhit explained.
Eric Banel, director general of Maritime Affairs, Fisheries, and Aquaculture for the Government of France, highlighted fisheries as a key area of cooperation between the two countries, especially in the lead-up to the UN Ocean Conference (UNOC) in June, which will be hosted in France.
“It will be a main aspect of UNOC in June… We want to do as much as we can to push value fishing as a strong issue, as a main issue in these regional bodies. And we want to know the kind of economic loss, especially for small scale fisheries,” Banel said.
He also identified maritime surveillance as another crucial area for collaboration.
“We’ve got a very big challenge with having this surveillance in place through satellite devices because we need to know what happens in our seas… We need to have eyes on the sea to be able to act against illegal fishing, to act against every kind of trafficking, and to assess everything where it must be assessed,” he added.