DENR Undersecretary Ernesto D. Adobo, Jr. delivers the Philippines’ final statement at the closing session of the BBNJ Prepcom II, conveying the Philippines’ aspiration to join the family of nations that have ratified the BBNJ Agreement as it nears its entry into force.
UNITED NATIONS, NEW YORK, 29 August 2025 — The Preparatory Commission for the entry into force of 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) concluded its second session at UN Headquarters in New York today, following two weeks of intensive negotiations from 18 to 29 August 2025. The BBNJ Agreement is a legally binding instrument for the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction.
The Preparatory Commission advanced discussions critical to the BBNJ Agreement’s effective implementation, including on the rules of procedure of the Conference of Parties, secretariat arrangements, cooperation with relevant instruments, frameworks and bodies, against the backdrop of growing momentum, as the number of ratifications continues to rise, and Agreement’s entry into force becomes imminent.
The Philippines participated in the various workstreams of the session, underscoring its steadfast support for transparency, inclusivity, and efficiency in the operationalization of the Agreement. Expressing appreciation for the work of the Co-Chairs of the Preparatory Conference as well as the efforts of the Secretariat, the Philippines encouraged work towards points of convergence, including on the Clearing House Mechanism.
Undersecretary Ernesto D. Adobo, Jr. of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) delivered the Philippines’ statement at the closing plenary session, recognizing important progress at the session, while conveying the country’s strong commitment to the early operationalization of the BBNJ Agreement, anchored on robust capacity building and marine technology transfer and financing. He also underscored the Philippines’s aspiration to join the family of nations that have ratified the treaty, while noting that the early entry into force of the BBNJ Agreement will reinforce the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea in responding to the challenges that impact on the ocean.
To date, a total of fifty-five states have ratified the BBNJ Agreement. Once sixty countries sign and ratify, the Treaty will enter into force, facilitating international efforts to protect and preserve the marine environment, as well as safeguarding marine biodiversity for people around the world, especially from archipelagic states and small island developing states.
The Philippine delegation was headed by the Permanent Mission’s Chargé d’affaires Leila C. Lora-Santos, with the participation of relevant agencies, including the Department of Foreign Affairs; Department of Agriculture, with Undersecretaries Drusila Esther Bayate and Alvin John Balagbag at the helm; DENR, led by Undersecretary Adobo; the Department of Science and Technology- Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development; the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources; and the University of the Philippines Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea. The Preparatory Commission will reconvene for its third session from 23 March to 2 April 2026 to continue laying the groundwork for the effective and timely entry into force of the BBNJ Agreement. END