ILOILO CITY—The challenge of attaining food security and healthy marine and aquaculture
ecosystem amid the threats of unsustainable fishing practices and environmental degradation is an issue that must be squarely addressed by Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) countries as one community, Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala said on Sunday.
In his welcome remarks at the opening ceremony of the Apec High Level Policy Dialogue on Food Security and Blue Economy at the newly built Iloilo Convention Center, Alcala called on strengthened cooperation among Apec member-economies to “come up with responsive and feasible plans and recommendations that will substantially deal with ensuring the sustainability of the economic benefits we get from our seas.”
“Blue Economy” refers to a development approach anchored on sustainable development and utilization of marine resources and ecosystems in the Apec region.
“Food is a basic need,” the chief of the Philippines’s Department of Agriculture (DA) said. “As one community, we ought to put strength and ideas together to ensure that there will
always be safe and nutritious food on the plates of our citizens.”
Alcala mentioned the vast Pacific Ocean, which all Apec countries share.
“Sharing the same resource means sharing the responsibility of protecting and conserving it not only for our economies today, but also for future generations,” he said.
Alcala cochairs the two-day meeting with Environment Secretary Ramon J.P. Paje, which forms part of lead-up activities to the Apec Economic Leaders’ Meeting (AELM) in November this year in Manila.
“This forum, I believe, is one of the most significant Apec meetings as this seeks to address primary concerns most relevant to our people, such as hunger, general health and well-being,” Alcala noted.
Paje, in his message, expressed optimism that the forum would come up with policy commitment in (a) making our oceans, coastal resources and ecosystems more resilient and the aquaculture industry more sustainable; (b) working together to reduce food loss and waste; and (c) promoting agribusiness and Blue Economy.
Senate President Franklin M. Drilon, who hails from Iloilo City, welcomed the Apec delegations and emphasized the commitment of the Philippine government in its food-security programs.
Drilon shared some relative legislative measures that the Philippine Congress has passed citing, among others, the Agriculture and Modernization Act and the amended Fisheries Code.
The Senate President also announced the upcoming approval of the Senate Bill classifying smuggling of agricultural products as heinous crime punishable with life imprisonment.
The High-Level Policy Dialogue provides a venue and opportunity for decision-makers from the government and the private and business sectors from Apec member-economies to harmonize policies conducive to economic growth of the region.
Scheduled from October 4 to 6, the forum aims to arrive at a consensus on a program of action on food security and Blue Economy. The program is to be endorsed to the Apec leaders of state arriving in Manila this November.
A series of related meetings were held earlier in Boracay, Cebu and this city to provide inputs to the high- level dialogue.
Alcala, however, reminded the member-economies that all policies they would approve should be rooted in protecting the natural resources for the sustainable livelihood of the people.