[PEMSEA] The Philippines Announces the Hosting of the East Asian Seas Congress 2009

The Philippines Announces the Hosting of the East Asian Seas Congress 2009

The Government of the Philippines through the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) announced today, 5 June 2008, its hosting of the East Asian Seas (EAS) Congress 2009, to be held in Manila on 23-27 November 2009 at the Philippine International Convention Center. Through a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between DENR and the Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA), the Philippines formalized its commitment to host the international event and provide the necessary in-country support and preparations. The MOA was signed between DENR Secretary Jose L. Atienza, Jr. and PEMSEA Executive Director Raphael P. M. Lotilla.

To ensure the successful organization and conduct of the EAS Congress 2009, a National Organizing Committee (NOC) led by the DENR has been organized with support from key government agencies including, Foreign Affairs, Tourism, Budget and Management, Interior and Local Government, Office of the President, Customs, Metro Manila Development Authority, Manila International Airport and the Philippine Information Agency.

In line with the EAS Congress theme, “Partnerships at Work: Local Implementation and Good Practices,” Mr. Lotilla emphasized the importance of the Congress as it will highlight initiatives at the local level, as well as review progress of the East Asian region with respect to the implementation of the Sustainable Development Strategy for the Seas of East Asia (SDS-SEA), the regional blueprint adopted by the countries of East Asia to ensure the sustainability of the East Asian Seas. Secretary Atienza reinforced the department’s commitment to the environment by balancing out the energy used, travels made and waste produced by the conference through offsetting activities such as tree-planting.

Also in attendance to witness the signing ceremony are DENR regional directors, bureau and service directors, and PEMSEA officers and staff.

The East Asian Seas Congress 2009 is supported by the Global Environment Facility, the United Nations Development Programme, and the United Nations Office for Project Services and the Coastal Management Center.

About the Congress

The East Asian Seas (EAS) Congress is a triennial event that was first conducted in 2003. It is a pioneering region-wide platform for capacity building, strategic action and cooperation for the sustainable development of the Seas of East Asia. The Congress will feature the Third Ministerial Forum, the International Conference on Sustainable Coastal and Ocean Development, the Third EAS Partnership Council Meeting, the Second EAS Youth Forum, an Environmental Exhibition on Good Practices and Innovative Technologies, Field Visits, and other side events. It will bring to Manila experts and practitioners from the region and outside, as well as government officials, NGOs and the private sector to tackle implementation issues in the coastal and ocean zones including the impact of climate change and other natural and man-made hazards.

About PEMSEA

PEMSEA was first established in 1993 as the Regional Programme on the Prevention and Management of Marine Pollution in the East Asian Seas. In 1999, it entered its second phase as the Regional Programme on Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia. PEMSEA was transformed from a project-based initiative into a regional coordinating mechanism for the implementation of the SDS-SEA in December 2006. Participating countries of PEMSEA are Cambodia, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Indonesia, Japan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, People’s Republic of China, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Vietnam.

The objective of PEMSEA is to coordinate and support the efforts of participating governments and non-state partners to develop and manage the coastal and marine environment and resources of the Seas of East Asia in a sustainable manner in accordance with the Sustainable Development Strategy for the Seas of East Asia (SDS-SEA). The SDS-SEA was adapted by participating countries in 2003, as their common framework for managing marine and coastal resources sustainably, as well as a platform for intergovernmental and multisectoral cooperation. PEMSEA receives financial support from the Global Environment Facility through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), with the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) as the executing agency.

About DENR

The Government of the Philippines has been host to the Project since its establishment in 1993, with the PEMSEA holding its offices within the DENR compound.