23/05/2026
๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ ๐๐ป๐๐ถ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ป๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ฎ๐น ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ผ๐บ๐บ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ป๐๐๐ถ๐๐๐๐ฒ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐น๐ผ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ป๐๐ถ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ป๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ด๐ถ๐ฒ๐ (๐๐๐๐ฆ) ๐ฆ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ป๐ด๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ป ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ด๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ผ๐น๐น๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ผ ๐๐ฑ๐ฑ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ฒ๐ป๐ด๐ฒ๐ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ฆ๐๐๐ก
The Philippine Coast Guard, through the ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ ๐๐ป๐๐ถ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ป๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ฎ๐น ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ผ๐บ๐บ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ (MEPCOM), together with representatives from the ๐๐ป๐๐๐ถ๐๐๐๐ฒ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐น๐ผ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ป๐๐ถ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ป๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ฎ๐น ๐ฆ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ด๐ถ๐ฒ๐ (๐๐๐๐ฆ), successfully conducted a coordination meeting focused on strengthening regional cooperation and advancing sustainable solutions to address ๐๐ฏ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฑ, ๐๐ผ๐๐, ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ถ๐๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ (๐๐๐๐๐) across ASEAN member countries.
The meeting was presided over by ๐ฅ๐๐๐ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ ๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ฃ๐๐ก๐๐๐ก ๐ฃ๐๐ Commander, MEPCOM, in coordination with ๐๐๐๐ฆ, on 19 May 2026, aboard Mary Bachrach Building 1, 24th Street, Port Area, Manila.
The meeting served as a platform for the exchange of information, insights, and experiences concerning the growing environmental challenges posed by ALDFG, which continue to threaten marine biodiversity, coastal ecosystems, fisheries resources, and maritime safety within the region. Participants discussed prevailing issues encountered by ASEAN countries and highlighted best practices and successful initiatives currently being implemented to mitigate marine debris and ghost fishing impacts.
Present during the engagement were ๐๐ข๐ ๐ ๐ข๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ ๐ ๐๐ฌ ๐ ๐ ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ ๐ฃ๐๐, Director of the Marine Environmental Protection Regulatory Compliance and Governance Service (MEPRCGS), and ๐๐๐ฃ๐ง ๐๐๐ซ๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐ ๐ง๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ฆ ๐ฃ๐๐, Commander of the Marine Science Forensics Investigation Service (MSFIS). Their presence further reinforced the discussions and underscored the partiesโ shared endeavors toward strengthening future collaboration.
During the discussions, both parties emphasized the importance of enhancing regional collaboration through knowledge-sharing, policy development, and coordinated environmental protection efforts. The meeting also explored potential areas of cooperation among ASEAN nations, particularly in strengthening monitoring mechanisms, improving waste management systems, and encouraging stakeholder participation from government agencies, local communities, and the private sector.
Moreover, the meeting identified actionable steps to address ALDFG, including the formulation of policy recommendations, capacity-building activities, public awareness campaigns, and the implementation of on-ground interventions aimed at preventing and reducing marine litter caused by fishing gear and other pollutants. These initiatives are expected to support broader marine environmental protection efforts and contribute to the promotion of a sustainable Blue Economy within the region.
As part of the MEPCOM AHEAD initiative under the pillar of ๐๐ฒ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐น๐ฒ ๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐ป๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ฝ๐, MEPCOM advances its efforts in protecting the countryโs marine environment through continued collaboration with international organizations and regional stakeholders. MEPCOM also recognized the role of IGES in promoting environmental sustainability and strengthening regional cooperation toward cleaner, safer, and more resilient seas across the ASEAN region.
@27