It’s all connected, we cannot work in silos

These days we often hear about the incursions of the Chinese into the West Philippine Sea (WPS). China’s acts leave no room for doubt as to its true intentions. We are aghast at the boldness of its defiance not just of international law but of plain and basic decorum among the community of nations.

But this is not the only aspect of maritime defense that Filipinos should be concerned about.

The WPS is home to rich marine ecosystems of various fish species, coral reefs, and other marine life. Our marine resources are also being greatly damaged by China’s gray-zone activities, specifically dredging, artificial island building, and illegal fishing. This harms the livelihood of our fisherfolk.

Last June, a Stratbase ADR Institute-commissioned survey conducted by Pulse Asia Research Inc. revealed that 40 percent of Filipinos agree that the current administration must protect the rights of people and fishing communities in the WPS. A separate survey conducted by Social Weather Stations also revealed that government efforts such as protecting Filipino fishermen in the WPS and protecting marine resources against those who destroy them are sufficient with 57 percent and 55 percent, respectively.

According to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, the WPS accounts for approximately 11 percent of the country’s marine-captured fisheries and sustains the livelihoods of around 300,000 fisherfolk.

Then again, our marine conservation issues are not limited to China’s acts.

We need only to look at how the MT Terranova oil spill, occasioned by the onslaught of Supertyphoon “Carina” in July, has affected both our seas and the people in the coastal communities, as well as the local economy and tourism. The income losses approaching P80 million underscore the direct economic consequences of environmental degradation.

This underscores the importance of transitioning to a circular economy, where waste and pollution are minimized, and resources are used more efficiently. As such, government initiatives such as the extended producer responsibility could mitigate such environmental disasters.

The Stratbase ADR Institute recently held a roundtable forum on marine protection in the WPS. As always, we were able to bring together the best thinkers and implementers in the field—from government, the private sector, the academe, and the diplomatic community. The consensus: Strengthening marine protected areas and other conservation efforts is crucial to preserving the Philippines’ rich marine biodiversity and ensuring the sustainability of marine resources for future generations.

Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesperson Col. Francel Padilla-Taborlupa pointed out their shocking observation on the extensive damage to our corals that China’s reclamation activities are causing in the WPS. She cited data from the Center for Strategic and International Studies reporting that China’s illegal artificial island building has destroyed 21,000 acres of coral reefs.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ Lea C. Avilla, OIC chief of the coastal and marine ecosystems management section, said future efforts must also concentrate on enhancing maritime domain awareness, strengthening institutional frameworks, promoting sustainable resource management, and fostering continuous regional cooperation to ensure the long-term sustainability of the country’s resources.

Coral researcher Dr. Dexter dela Cruz of Southern Cross University said the key to securing the future of corals is to get more people involved. “In each locality, we are collaborating with universities, local governments, academia, and the private sector. This is the only way we can truly move forward.”

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Stratbase nonresident fellow and the former director for the Asean Centre for Biodiversity, Dr. Mary Kristerie Baleva, left a profound message on how everything is linked. “We’ve heard from our scientists that our ecosystems and species are all interconnected, which is why we must also think about how interconnected our efforts need to be when discussing conservation and sustainable use. We cannot work in silos anymore. We have to work across sectors, vertically and horizontally.”

China’s territorial aggression in the WPS is devastating our marine ecosystems and underscores its reckless disregard for the environment and international law.

Indeed, we have to think of ourselves not as mere consumers of resources, but as stewards of maritime security, environmental responsibility, and sustainability.

I urge the government, private sector, and international community to collaborate to protect the country’s marine environment in the WPS amid massive coral destruction due to China’s continuous illegal activities in the area.

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Dindo Manhit is founder and CEO of the Stratbase Group.