Group bats for 'blue economy' to address West PH Sea issues

The Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement (PRRM) said Saturday that pursuing a blue economy in the country would not just boost economic growth but also address the issues related to the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

In a statement, PRRM president Edicio dela Torre said that the country's land area is merely 300,000 square kilometers while the exclusive economic zone stretches across 2.2 million square kilometers.

"Therefore, we need not delve into topics like global trade and our seafarers when discussing the concept of the blue economy. The concept of a blue economy addresses the entire issue," Dela Torre said.

Blue economy refers to the integrated, holistic, cross-sectoral, and cross-stakeholder approach for the sustainable, resilient, and inclusive use, governance, management, and conservation of oceans, seas, marine and coastal resources and ecosystems for economic growth.

The PRRM is part of the Atin Ito coalition, which has launched two civilian-led missions to distribute food and fuel to fishermen in the West Philippine Sea in the face of aggressive actions by Chinese forces.

Sustainable marine wealth

The group is backing the proposed Blue Economy Act, which is included in the Marcos administration's priority legislative agenda.

The proposal aims to promote stewardship and sustainable development of marine wealth within the maritime domains of the Philippines, including its exclusive economic zone.

It targets to institutionalize the crafting of a comprehensive framework for the sustainable development of marine and coastal resources, and strengthen inter-agency, cross-sectoral, and multi-stakeholder coordination. Moreover, it seeks to promote cross-sector engagement, putting value into the local and indigenous knowledge systems of small fisherfolk.

"Sustainability will not be achieved if it doesn't also enhance the income and livelihood of people. We should transcend what may seem abstract, focusing not just on rights but also on livelihood—the source of life and sustenance for our citizens," said Dela Torre, who also serves as a co-convenor of Atin Ito.

He added that there are specific species in the West Philippine Sea or in the exclusive economic zone that could potentially be special, medicinal or pharmaceutical substances.

"The blue economy is so vast that if you can't defend the West Philippine Sea, you can't develop it," Dela Torre said.

"The hot issue now is the West Philippine Sea. If we can't even assert and develop what has been internationally recognized as ours, others will say, 'If you can't even take care of the small ones, how much more the larger ones?" he said.

Dela Torre maintained that if the government places the West Philippine Sea within the context of the blue economy, it assumes much greater importance.

He noted that this will not just be about geopolitics but more so on economic development.

Center for WPS studies

Moreover, PRRM is also backing the proposal to establish a Center for West Philippine Sea Studies that would dig deeper and disseminate information on the WPS.

According to Dela Torre, the center should not just be within the Department of Foreign Affairs but should be linked with the Department of Education and the Commission on Higher Education as the regular education of the Filipino youth should encompass an understanding of the issue.

"We need extensive discussions, studies, debates and a deepening of understanding so that we cannot just fully grasp but also appreciate it," Dela Torre said.

"Even if the policy is good and there's a budget for it, without a dedicated agency and dedicated personnel focusing on it, it will be overlooked," he said. — VDV, GMA Integrated News