Makati city: Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. emphasized on Thursday that the "blue economy" serves as a crucial pathway to the Philippines' prosperous future. Speaking at the 3rd Balangay Forum held in Makati City, part of this year's Maritime and Archipelagic Nation Awareness Month (MANA Mo) celebrations, Teodoro highlighted the significance of the blue economy in linking sustainability, development, and prosperity.
According to Philippines News Agency, the blue economy involves the sustainable use and management of ocean and coastal resources to enhance economic growth. Teodoro elaborated that the blue economy encompasses the utilization of the maritime resources that the country possesses, as defined by international law, geography, and nature. He noted that as an archipelago, the Philippines' maritime entitlements exceed those of landlocked countries.
Teodoro stressed the importance of leveraging the resources within the country's maritime domain to support its growing population and secure sea-based supply chains. He warned that without these supply chains, the economic foundation could be constricted, potentially leading to a marginalized future for generations to come. He underscored the urgency of fighting for maritime domain entitlements, even if it means addressing them later than preferred.
The defense secretary also pointed to the immediate need to tap into resources in the Philippine Rise (formerly Benham Rise) and other Pacific Ocean features claimed by the Philippines. He urged the country to explore and exploit these areas alongside like-minded nations to prevent others from occupying them first.
Teodoro further highlighted the importance of collaborating with other countries to maintain open international routes and sea lanes of communication amidst attempts by nations like China to alter established narratives. He cited China's Nine-Dash Line claim over a substantial portion of the South China Sea as a significant example of narrative alteration, describing it as an imagination backed by action, disinformation, and misinformation.
