Embracing our identity as a maritime nation

There are many ways to characterize the Philippines as a nation. We have a young, robust population. We are the second-largest archipelagic country. We have more sea than land, and our coastline is the fourth-longest in the world. We belong to the 18 mega-diverse countries in the world. We are a maritime nation.

The current administration of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. has acknowledged our identity as a maritime nation. Our maritime identity is “an intrinsic and undeniable part of the national Filipino character,” he said during the ceremonial signing of the historic Philippine Maritime Zones Act and the Philippine Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act in November last year.

And when he talked about the Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense Concept (CADC) during the Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia’s premier defense summit held in Singapore in May 2024, he said it was intended to bolster the Philippines’ capacity to protect its waters and maritime resources.

Indeed, the opportunities for a maritime nation such as ours are immense. Our resources are vast, and our potential is high. We would be able to enhance food security by promoting responsible fisheries and aquaculture, drive economic growth by expanding marine-based industries such as tourism and shipbuilding while creating more jobs, and strengthen energy security through offshore wind projects.

As a result, the Philippines can generate more jobs, boost local industries, and improve the quality of life for its people while ensuring the sustainable use of its vast marine resources.

During his second State of the Nation Address in 2023, President Marcos Jr. emphasized the need to develop the blue economy. This directive is embodied in Senate Bill 2450, or the Blue Economy Act, considered priority legislation. The bill aims to adopt the blue economy as a framework for the sustainable and responsible use of the country’s marine resources, positioning them as a key pillar of the national economy.

It is also expected to boost local industries and generate jobs by promoting sustainable ocean-based economic activities such as fisheries, aquaculture, marine tourism, shipbuilding, renewable energy, and maritime logistics.

A specific provision is the establishment of Blue Economic Zones (BEZs) to encourage investments and economic activities in the country’s coastal and maritime areas. These zones will serve as hubs for marine-based industries and help ensure the sustainable management of the country’s vast ocean resources.

But while there are opportunities, there are also threats. This is why alongside exploring and maximizing the potential of the Philippines’ blue economy, we also need to be mindful of the risks confronting us as a maritime nation.

These threats come in different forms and are multi-faceted.

We have to deal with overfishing and habitat degradation — years of irresponsible exploitation of resources have led to these conditions. Climate change is also causing adverse effects on our seas and corals, posing risks to their sustainability.

Finally, there are increasingly aggressive and provocative actions in the West Philippine Sea. These acts threaten our sovereign rights and access to vital areas and resources. They prevent the Philippine economy from maximizing the benefits from resources within our Exclusive Economic Zone. They try to make a mockery of the rules-based international order and insult the values and principles that the Philippines and other members of the international community hold dear.

They also put the safety and livelihood of Filipino fisherfolk in peril.

In order to address these threats and to continue working toward achieving the potential of our blue economy, the Philippines is correct to adopt a comprehensive and coordinated approach that integrates maritime security, environmental protection, and sustainable economic policies.

We are fortunate to be able to collaborate with like-minded countries. Another blue-economy nation that comes to mind is France, with its extensive expertise in harnessing its own and the marine resources of its territories. By forging stronger partnerships with France, the Philippines can harness its maritime resources more effectively to ensure long-term economic growth while safeguarding its marine environment.

The French Embassy in the Philippines has partnered with the Stratbase Institute in organizing a hybrid event titled “Strengthening Philippines-France Cooperation for a Sustainable Blue Economy.”

The event, happening this Friday, March 28, will focus on strategic blue economy industries where strengthened bilateral cooperation between France and the Philippines could promote growth. It will bring together key stakeholders from the government, diplomatic community, the academe, and think tanks to discuss challenges and actions needed to unlock the potential of the Philippines’ blue economy.

I look forward to the conversations we will have in this event. The avenues for discussion and collaboration are as vast as the potential of our seas. We have now identified this growth area, bolstered by pronouncements from the Executive and initiatives from the Legislative. Now we are emboldened by the show of cooperation and partnership by an established blue nation as France, and driven by a desire to maximize the benefits of our resources and channel them to the ultimate good of our people.

Let’s make our blue economy work, because this is who we are.

Victor Andres “Dindo” C. Manhit is the president of the Stratbase ADR Institute.