Mandaluyong city: The Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) is advocating for the establishment of a unified national framework for sustainable ocean-based development.
According to Philippines News Agency, this initiative was the main agenda during a roundtable dialogue held from July 20 to 21 in Mandaluyong City, attended by government institutions and key stakeholders. The Bughaw-Tanaw dialogue, organized by DEPDev's Office of the Undersecretary for Legislative Affairs (OULA), brought together more than 100 representatives from the three branches of government, as well as the academe, civil society, and development partner institutions to provide input for developing the country's Blue Economy Framework.
The initiative is part of the government's effort to strengthen the sustainable use and management of the country's marine resources through improved policy coordination and governance. The blue economy agenda is anchored on key legal and policy foundations, including the Archipelagic Doctrine, the National Marine Policy, the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) Act, the Fisheries Code, and the Clean Water Act.
The dialogue also supports the development of the Blue Economy Act, a priority measure under the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) Common Legislative Agenda. It is aligned with the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2023-2028, which identifies sustainable ocean-based development as an important component of the country's long-term growth strategy.
During the roundtable, DEPDev Undersecretary for Legislative Affairs Glenda Rumohr highlighted the need to align existing mandates, jurisdictions, and initiatives under a shared national vision. 'The harder part is that we've each been stewarding pieces of it --a mandate here, covering a jurisdiction there -- without necessarily agreeing on how those pieces are supposed to fit together,' Rumohr said. 'Which is precisely why the Office of the Undersecretary for Legislative Affairs of DEPDev organized Bughaw-Tanaw, because we think it's time to stop working around that, and start working through it, together, in the same room.'
DEPDev stated that inputs gathered during the discussions will inform policy recommendations and the continuing development of the Philippine Blue Economy Framework. The framework aims to translate the country's blue economy vision into clear governance mechanisms, strategic priorities, and coordinated actions that support sustainable, inclusive, and resilient ocean-based development.
