The Philippines is intensifying efforts to ratify the High Seas Treaty, officially known as the Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ), with the Department of Agriculture backing the Department of Foreign Affairs’ campaign for Senate concurrence.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ratified the treaty in 2024, a year after its adoption, but Senate approval remains pending. The BBNJ Agreement, under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), aims to protect marine biodiversity in international waters, or areas beyond national jurisdiction (ABNJ).
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. emphasized the treaty’s importance in preserving marine ecosystems and ensuring fair access to marine genetic resources, particularly for an archipelagic nation like the Philippines.
The treaty, which the Philippines helped negotiate and signed early, needs Senate concurrence to enable the country’s participation in the first Conference of Parties (COP1), expected to convene once 60 countries have ratified the agreement. As of late August, 55 nations have done so.
Undersecretary for Fisheries Drusila Esther Bayate said the country’s formal ratification would align with national interests, including marine biodiversity protection and regional maritime claims, such as those upheld in the 2016 South China Sea arbitration ruling.
The UN is expected to hold a special event during the General Assembly from September 23–26, potentially reaching the treaty’s entry-into-force threshold.
