Negros Occidental Rep. Benitez lauds House approval of ‘blue economy’ bill

FOR FISHERS’ SAKE | These fishermen catching blue crabs at Sugar Beach in Sipalay City, Negros Occidental, in this undated photo, will be among the thousands of fisherfolk in the country who will get protection if House Bill No. 9662, or the proposed Blue Economy Act, will become a law. (Photo by RONNIE BALDONADO / Contributor)

BACOLOD CITY, Negros Occidental, Philippines — Rep. Jose Francisco Benitez of Negros Occidental’s 3rd District has welcomed the approval on its third and final reading of the “blue economy” bill in the House of Representatives on Dec. 12.

Benitez, principal author of House Bill No. 9662 or the proposed Blue Economy Act, described it as a landmark legislation that would be “vital not only to sustaining economic growth but also to building our national identity.

“The bill promotes stewardship and sustainable development of our marine wealth within our maritime domains, including our exclusive economic zone,” he said.

The bill, he added, will ensure that ocean-based and ocean-related industries — from fisheries to shipping and tourism, will not cause damage to marine habitats.

“At the core of our blue economy are small fisherfolk. We guarantee that subsistence fisheries, or fishing mainly for household fishing consumption, will not be displaced as we delineate our maritime zones for different uses,” Benitez also stressed.

Blue economy refers to the integrated, holistic, cross-sectoral, and cross-stakeholder approach for the sustainable, resilient, and inclusive use, governance, management, and conservation of oceans, seas, marine and coastal resources, and ecosystems for economic growth.

Balancing act

Voting 254-3, the House passed the bill, which is included in the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council‘s Common Legislative Agenda.

Benitez thanked the House leadership and his colleagues for their support of the bill, which seeks to transform the country’s maritime economy.

“The Philippines is an archipelagic and maritime nation. Maritime industries contributed P857 billion to our economy or 3.9 percent of our GDP (gross domestic product) in 2022. But unsustainable economic development is threatening to destroy our marine and coastal ecosystems. The blue economy bill will strike a balance between our economic, social, and ecological imperatives,” he said.

Benitez added: “The concept of blue economy also enriches our understanding of national security and highlights civilian objectives. After all, national security is not only about border control, but also about pollution control; not only about territorial integrity, but also environmental integrity, not only about military security, but also food security.”

It also mandates marine spatial planning, a process to identify the best use of maritime areas to prevent overlapping and conflicting uses and to mitigate environmental impacts.