07 June 2021, New York – In celebration of #UNWorldOceansDay on 08 June 2021, Secretary Teodoro Locsin, Jr. affirmed the Philippines’ commitment to Sustainable Development Goal 14 to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources.

The theme, “The Ocean: Life and Livelihoods,” aptly describes the Philippines’ relationship with the oceans as an archipelago and coastal state. The World Oceans Day reminds everyone that humanity has turned to the oceans for life and livelihood, but its resources are not unlimited and is vulnerable to many challenges, such as overexploitation, climate change, and marine plastic pollution.

Secretary Locsin emphasized that “we cannot own seas to the exclusion of others, least of all if accident of history gave its name to them,” noting that the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) states that the problem of ocean space are closely interrelated and needs to be considered as a whole. “The seas belong to everyone to share and use peacefully and responsibly,” Secretary Locsin added.

The World Oceans Day is annually celebrated to inform the public of the impact of human actions on the ocean, develop a worldwide movement of citizens for the ocean, and mobilize and unite the world’s population on a project for the sustainable management of the world's oceans.

Watch: https://youtu.be/ZrOWF8FHMpo END