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Marcos backs proposed Blue Economy Act

Marcos backs proposed Blue Economy Act

GMA Network17-07-2025
President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. will support the Blue Economy Act, which aims to help protect the country's coastal and marine ecosystems and resources, according to Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro on Thursday.
'Sa lahat po ng ikagaganda ng ating environment, sa ating ikaaangat po ng taumbayan, mga mangingisda po, hindi po ito tututulan ng Pangulo,' Castro said in a press briefing when asked about the proposed measure.
(The President will not oppose any measure that will improve our environment and will develop the welfare of the public, including the fisherfolk.)
The Presidential Communications Office said that Senators Loren Legarda and Risa Hontiveros refiled the measure as they sought to promote stewardship and sustainable development of coastal and marine ecosystems and resources.
In August 2024, the Senate approved on third and final reading Senate Bill No. 2450 or 'An Act establishing a framework for Blue Economy.
The bill was approved by the House of Representatives on its third and final reading during the 19th Congress, but the Congress failed to ratify a reconciled version of the measure.
The proposed measure commits the Philippines to harnessing its vast ocean resources for jobs, growth, and long-term marine protection. It further aligns the country with global efforts to safeguard and sustainably use the seas.
If passed into law, this measure will adopt a blue economy framework, making marine wealth a pillar of the national economy and patrimony. — RF, GMA Integrated News
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