Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Raphael Lotilla on Friday praised the Philippine Senate’s unanimous decision to ratify a landmark United Nations treaty aimed at protecting marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction.

The agreement, known as the High Seas Treaty, is a significant step toward safeguarding the world’s oceans, Lotilla said in a statement.

“With its unanimous concurrence, the Senate signified its commitment to safeguarding the nation’s marine wealth and humankind’s common heritage for the benefit of coastal communities, fisherfolk, scientists, and all who rely on the bounty of the ocean,” Lotilla said.

The treaty addresses areas beyond any country’s control, including the high seas and the seabed. It aims to establish area-based management tools, such as marine protected areas, and requires environmental impact assessments for activities that could affect these regions.

For the Philippines, an archipelagic nation with rich marine biodiversity, the treaty is crucial for food security and climate resilience.

The DENR said more than half of the country’s fisheries production comes from species that migrate into these international waters and the agreement also ensures that benefits from marine genetic resources, such as new medicines, are shared equitably with developing states.

To recall, the Philippines was one of 68 states to sign the treaty in September 2023. Former Environment Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo Loyzaga had previously stressed the nation’s commitment to the treaty’s entry into force by the 2025 U.N. Ocean Conference.