Senator Loren Legarda underscored the Philippines’ commitment to helping achieve the 30x30 goal of protecting 30 percent of the world’s land and water by 2030, during a forum on the blue economy in Makati City last week.

In her message to the “Strengthening Philippines-France Cooperation for a Sustainable Blue Economy” forum organized by the Stratbase Institute and French Embassy on 28 March, the senator and author of the Blue Economy Bill said the Philippines continues to work closely with the French Embassy on their Blue Nations Initiative, which is aimed at enhancing political, scientific, and civic cooperation in ocean protection, climate action, blue economy and maritime security between the two countries.

Legarda also said that the two countries launched the 100 Days of the Ocean Mobilization Campaign last month to underscore “our shared commitment to marine protection and inclusive ocean action.”

“We welcome continued joint action in marine biodiversity research, climate-resilient aquaculture, sustainable fisheries management, blue carbon initiatives and the expansion of marine protected areas. These efforts form part of our contributions towards fulfilling our commitments, the 30 by 30 goal,” she added.

30x30 is championed by the High Ambition Coalition for People and Nature, an intergovernmental group of more than 100 countries.

The senator urged stakeholders to seize the momentum, sustain what have been started, and elevate cooperation to new depths of innovation, equity and environmental stewardship ahead of the United Nations Ocean Conference in June.

“Let us move together from discussion to innovation, from vision to impactful implementation, and through strong Philippines-France cooperation, we can build a truly inclusive and regenerative blue economy,” she said.

Ocean Management Bureau

Meanwhile, another speaker to the forum, Department of Environmental and Natural Resources (DENR) Undersecretary for Organizational Transformation and Human Resources, and vice chair of the DENR Task Force on Ocean Environment (TFOE) Augusto dela Peña, revealed that the agency is planning to create an Ocean Management Bureau (OMB).

Dela Peña said the department is mainly focused on land and lacks a bureau focusing on the ocean. Creating the OMB is one of the tasks of the TFOE that he presented during the forum.

The DENR official also said that the TFOE is crafting a comprehensive framework for national ocean environments policy.

This is imperative, he said, considering that 88 percent of the Philippines’ sovereignty and sovereign rights are over water and its marine environment spans over 2.2 million square kilometers, making its sustainable management a national priority.

“Comprehensive economic and ecological assessments will help us prioritize conservation efforts, ensuring the sustainable use of our marine resources,” Dela Peña said.

He also revealed that the TFOE is already mapping the country’s seagrass and coral ecosystems after developing the 2023 National Mangrove Map intended for conservation planning and restoration efforts.

Further, Dela Peña said that the TFOE is aligning ocean policies and actions with various global frameworks such as the Convention on Biological Diversity and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

“With over 64 percent of the world’s oceans falling beyond national jurisdiction, international cooperation is crucial in ensuring their protection. Strengthening our role in regional and global ocean governance, research, and policy development is imperative. These international commitments set the stage for the creation of a more unified and effective ocean governance strategy at home,” according to Dela Peña.

“Our goal is to drive organizational transformation within the department for a more effective ocean conservation. To achieve this vision, we have established the roadmap for the full organization of this task force by the second quarter of this year, and by the second quarter of 2026, we aim to finalize and implement the National Ocean Environments Policy, ensuring long-term sustainability and governance of our marine resources,” he added. “Our oceans are our lifeline. Protecting them is not just an environmental necessity, it is an economic, social, and existential imperative. I invite you to join us in research, policy support, and capacity building of community engagement.”