Senator Loren Legarda called for local government actions against single-use plastics and investment in marine sanctuaries during a forum on sustainable ocean management in Pandan, Antique.

Addressing participants to the “Daluyong ng Pagbabago: Adaptation and Resilience for Our Oceans,” forum at the University of the Philippines Visayas in Pandan, Antique on 29 May, Legarda said, “The ocean is not just a backdrop. It is our lifeline. When corals die, so do fish stocks. When mangroves vanish, villages lose their shield against storms. When plastic chokes our waters, it chokes our children’s future.”

The chairperson of the Senate Committee on Culture and Arts also urged ocean experts, community leaders, scientists, youth advocates, and policymakers attending the forum to align national and local strategies for ocean resilience and climate adaptation, strengthen multisectoral collaboration on ocean governance, and called for inclusive implementation of the National Adaptation Plan (NAP).

As the Philippines participates this week in the Third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3) in Nice, France, Legarda said, “We carry a simple truth: The ocean is a solution. It is our bridge to each other, to survival, to legacy. Let us become that unstoppable tide.”

Meanwhile, Climate Change Commission executive director Robert E.A. Borje emphasized that the Philippines must lead global efforts in ocean resilience not just with plans, but with action. Borje also underscored the need for urgent, inclusive implementation of national priorities such as the NAP, the Philippine Development Plan, and the Blue Economy Roadmap, through stronger cross-sectoral collaboration and the amplification of marginalized voices, especially those of fisherfolk, Indigenous Peoples, women and the youth.

Moreover, he urged institutions to break down silos, build bridges, and ensure that climate and ocean solutions are rooted in equity and inclusivity, especially for the most vulnerable communities who are at the frontline of climate impacts.