DENR to set up ocean environment task force in Q2

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said on Tuesday, April 1, it will establish a task force to enhance the country’s ocean and maritime governance by this year. INQUIRER FILES

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said it will set up a task force to enhance the country’s ocean and maritime governance by this year.

During a forum organized by the Stratbase Institute in partnership with the Embassy of France in the Philippines, Environment Undersecretary Augusto Dela Peña said the DENR will set up an Ocean Environment Task Force (OETF) by the second quarter of this year.

READ: DENR eyes 8 new marine scientific stations

“Our goal is to drive organizational transformation within DENR for more effective ocean conservation. To achieve this vision, we have established the roadmap for the full organization of the Task Force in Q2 2025,” Dela Peña was quoted by Stratbase as saying during the forum.

According to Dela Peña, who also serves as OETF vice chair, the task force aims to enhance ocean governance, align national policies with international commitments, and incorporate scientific data into policy-making.

Ultimately, he added, the DENR aims to institutionalize this task force as a permanent bureau.

Meanwhile, other experts stressed during the forum the importance of a multi-stakeholder approach, involving policymakers, the private sector, communities, and international partners, particularly France, in the development of the country’s blue economy.

French Ambassador to the Philippines Marie Fontanel, for her part, underscored the importance of the blue economy to the Philippines and France.

“Our shared responsibility is to combine economic development with environmental protection. France is fully committed to this dynamic, bringing its expertise in marine resource management, innovation for sustainable ocean exploitation, and the fight against illegal fishing,” Fontanel said.

“We are convinced that dialogue and the sharing of best practices are key to building a future where economic growth and marine ecosystem preservation go hand in hand,” she added.

Stratbase Institute President Dindo Manhit shared similar sentiments, specifically, the need for collaborations with like-minded nations in advancing the country’s maritime future.

“We have now identified this growth area, bolstered by pronouncements from the executive and initiatives from the legislature,” said Manhit.

“Now we are emboldened by the show of cooperation and partnership by an established blue nation in France, and driven by a desire to maximize the benefits of our resources and channel them to the ultimate good of the Philippine people,” he added.

France Maritime Affairs, Fisheries, and Aquaculture Director General Eric Banel, on the other hand, pointed out fisheries as a key area of cooperation between the two countries, especially in the lead-up to the UN Ocean Conference (UNOC) in June, which will be hosted in France.

He also identified maritime surveillance as another crucial area for collaboration.

“We’ve got a very big challenge with having this surveillance in place through satellite devices because we need to know what happens in our seas… We need to have eyes on the sea to be able to act against illegal fishing, to act against every kind of trafficking, and to assess everything where it must be assessed,” he said.