Biodiversity conservation in the Philippines received a boost after the Senate unanimously approved the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The agreement highlights the longterm benefits for coastal communities, scientists and fisherfolk who depend on the seas for food and livelihood. As an archipelagic state, a maritime nation and one of the richest in marine biodiversity, the Philippines depends fundamentally on the integrity of its marine ecosystems, particularly for food security and climate resilience.

High seas treaty a boon to marine ecosystem. (2025, September 30). Manila Standard, p. C1.