Maritime cooperation is an established thematic priority of the East Asia Summit (EAS) and is regarded in the Manila Plan of Action to Advance the Phnom Penh Declaration on the EAS Development Initiative 2018-2022. Anchoring on this Plan of Action, the Philippines conducted the 1st EAS Workshop on Maritime Cooperation in 2019 with the theme “Sustainable and Responsible Fisheries Management.” This year, the Philippines has conducted the 2nd EAS Workshop on Maritime Cooperation on August 30 to September 1, 2022 at Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila, which was attended by 100 delegates from EAS Participating Countries (10 ASEAN Member States Plus 8 – Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Russia, and the United States).
This year’s workshop theme is “Technical and Scientific Cooperation Towards Clean, Healthy, and Sustainable Oceans,” which aims to promote and advance cooperation among EAS Participating Countries (EPC) in science, technology, and innovation for a clean, healthy, and sustainable ocean in the region, in accordance with relevant international laws and frameworks, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
Dr. Mari-Ann M. Acedera, director of the Marine Resources Research Division (MRRD) of the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD) was part of the Philippine delegation to the said activity, together with Ms. Jhorace Engay-Tupas of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), and Assistant Secretary Daniel R. Espiritu, Office of ASEAN Affairs of the Department of Foreign Affairs.
In behalf of the Philippine delegation, Dr. Acedera presented the “Philippines’ existing initiatives on cross-border marine environment sustainability,” under the Session on Innovations and Cross-Border Initiatives in Promoting Ocean Sustainability. Dr. Acedera’s presentation highlighted the technical and scientific cooperation initiatives of the country.
The participants partook in a simple symbolic expression of their commitment of following through with the learnings of the workshop, as well as in taking proactive steps to move the workshop discussions towards real action to solve ocean and marine issues.