• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Negros Occidental 3rd district Rep. Jose Francisco “Kiko” Benitez has called on the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to prioritize programs that promote a “blue economy” in the interest of national economic security.
With maritime domains of the country composing 88 percent of its territory, and 60 percent of Filipinos living in coastal communities, Benitez, in a statement issued by his congressional office, said it is crucial to maximize the economic and social benefits of maritime industries, which include fisheries, shipping and tourism.
This requires strong commitment and action from concerned government agencies, Benitez said during the initial deliberation of the House Bill No. 69, which he authored, in the House Committee on Economic Affairs.
“The Philippines is already a powerhouse maritime economy, given our geography, history and culture, but who benefits from the blessings of the seas?” he asked.
Blue economy is a framework for sustainable development of marine and coastal resources, based on principles of stewardship and social responsibility, Benitez said, as he stressed the to regulate maritime activities to mitigate impact to the environment.
Citing a report of the National State of Ocean and Coasts, the Negrense legislator said that maritime industries in the Philippines were worth US$11.9 billion in 2016.
“Our maritime economy has great potential to accelerate our full economic recovery from the pandemic and support sustained economic growth. But we need a whole-of-society, whole-of-government approach to ensure that development does not destroy our marine and coastal ecosystems,” Benitez said.
House Bill No. 69, if passed into law, will strengthen inter-agency coordination and planning to identify best use of our maritime zones, including our EEZ, promote blue finance or funding for special economic zones concentrating on sustainable and strategic maritime industries, and enhance maritime domain awareness to flag threats to our marine environments, including unauthorized access, overexploitation and pollution, he stressed.*
