Nat’l marine policy eyed as major driver of economy

Nat’l marine policy eyed as major driver of economy
Jelly Musico September 26, 2018 http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1049252

MANILA – The National Coast Watch Council Secretary (NCWCS) has set a convergence conference where all maritime industry stakeholders can come up with updated National Marine Policy (NMP) that would make big impact on the country’s economic development.

The convergence conference was included as one of the activities and programs lined up for September, which was declared by President Rodrigo Duterte last year as Maritime and Archipelagic Nation Awareness Month (MANA Mo).

The NCWCS has, however, reset the conference for Oct. 29-30 after Typhoon Ompong hit northern Luzon on September 9.

“We are trying to take advantage of the economic activities that we can undertake, ensuring that this is something both sustainable and inclusive where all Filipinos can benefit from,” NCWCS Executive Director Jose Luis Alano said during Wednesday’s Kapihan sa MANA Mo at the Philippine International Convention Center.

NCWCS Consultant Michael Eric Castillo said NMP is a 24-year-old document that must be updated to make it attuned to the present situation of economic development.

“We discovered that after 24 years of existence, this document has not fully adopted to consider social, political and economic and technological changes and advancements that will make you know the policy more attuned to needs of time,” Castillo said.

Castillo, a professor at the University of the Philippines, said the government must not only pursue land-based but also marine-based economic development plans and programs.

“We always have been saying that the utilization of marine space, our marine assets and resources is not only to make it as strategic addition to our economic development but rather the backbone of economic development considering the fact that we are an archipelagic nation,” Castillo added.

He said all maritime stakeholders of the county have expressed intention to give inputs to new NMP during the convergence conference.

The Philippines, he said, can emerge as one of the leaders in ship-building and repair industries if the country will be able to tap its marine spaces.

“Imagine countries like Singapore with very limited marine space but it’s one of the leaders in ship building and international shipping,” he said.

He said NMP aims to reorient of the country’s development approaches to include marine utilization and protection.

“It incorporates grounded inputs and suggestions on appropriate policies, strategies, and activities towards utilizing marine assets for wealth creation, job creation, maritime safety and national security,” he added.

He said the NMP contains specific agenda from three main sectors – maritime industry development, maritime research and Philippine coastal tourism and development.

Castillo expressed hope that the draft of NMP will be finalized before the National Marine Summit in January 2019, where President Rodrigo Duterte is expected to sign an executive order promulgating the NMP. (PNA)