Despite the tremendous benefits that coastal and marine regions have brought to the daily lives of Filipinos, development planning in the Philippines is still predominantly land-focused. Although the country’s maritime territory is seven times as large as its land area, there is no comprehensive strategy in place that fully utilizes its vast marine resources. As such, the current trends in coastal migration and human activities on land, coasts, and seas put pressure on the ability of marine areas to sustain themselves.

Casayuran, M. B. (2023, February 28). Legarda, Villar cite need to manage sustainable development of PH's coastal, marine environment. Manila Bulletin, p. 8.