The Senate on Wednesday unanimously ratified the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement), with 22 affirmative votes.
Also called the “High Seas Treaty,” the accord is the first legally binding framework to safeguard marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction and the third implementing agreement under the 1982 UNCLOS. It was adopted in 2023 after nearly two decades of negotiations.
Senator Imee Marcos, chair of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations and sponsor of the measure, said the treaty ensures equal sharing of benefits from marine genetic resources, strengthens marine protected areas, requires environmental impact assessments, and promotes capacity-building and technology transfer for developing countries.
“Kung may kumalap o gumagamit ng DNA o genetic material, pantay-pantay ang hatian ng benepisyo sa ilalim ng BBNJ. Walang monopolyo sa dagat, walang gahaman, walang iwanan,” Marcos said.
She added that Filipino scientists, students, and fisherfolk will benefit from access to funding, retraining, and advanced marine technology that could boost sustainable livelihoods and innovations in medicine, biotechnology, and agriculture.
Co-sponsor Senator Erwin Tulfo said the ratification reaffirms the country’s commitment to marine protection. “This is not merely about international obligations, it is about ensuring that the Filipino people, our fisherfolk, our coastal communities, our scientists, and even our youth, will have a stake and share in the benefits that this historic treaty seeks to protect and distribute,” he said.
The Philippines was among the first signatories of the treaty in 2023. With the Senate’s concurrence, the country is set to join the first 60 nations that will convene the Conference of Parties to finalize rules, guidelines, and mechanisms for its implementation.
