Global ocean governance presents a multidimensional challenge for the Philippines, especially as the nation commemorates on July 12, 2026 the 10th year of the arbitral ruling that upheld its maritime rights under international law.
As an archipelagic state of more than 7,600 islands, with one of the longest coastlines on earth, the Philippines does not merely observe the oceans, it inhabits them. The seas are inseparable from the well-being of the Filipino people, serving as the cradle of their maritime civilization. In this milestone year, the arbitral award reinforces the imperative of cooperation, responsible stewardship, and collective ocean governance. The establishment of the ASEAN Maritime Center in the Philippines further underscores the country’s commitment to regional collaboration, positioning it as a hub for advancing maritime cooperation, safeguarding shared waters, and ensuring sustainable use of the oceans for generations to come.
The ocean is the lifeline of Filipinos. It feeds our people, drives our economy, and anchors our identity. Every wave carries the promise of sustenance, every tide shapes our destiny. To promote good governance of the oceans is therefore a solemn duty.
Challenges in Global Ocean Governance
Yet, the maritime domain that sustains Filipino life is increasingly imperiled by ecological decline, transnational crime, climate change, and technological inequality. These are strategic threats that demand a coherent national response, one that harmonizes sovereignty with solidarity, and bilateral interest with multilateral responsibility. The following five principal challenges confronting the Philippines in global ocean governance are well documented but worth restating:
Environmental Stress. This challenge is perhaps the most immediate. The Philippines hosts more than 16,800 square kilometers of coral reef, yet 90 percent of these reefs are now classified as being in poor or fair condition. Only 10 percent retain more than 50 percent live coral cover. Fish stocks tell the same story of decline: 87 percent of the country’s marine fish stocks had already been classified as overfished as of 2017, while the Philippine Sea recorded an overall decline of 29 percent in fish stocks. Because marine degradation does not respect national boundaries, unilateral action is insufficient. The challenge lies in mobilizing regional and global cooperation to restore ecosystems and regulate resource use before the damage becomes irreversible.
Transnational Crime. Piracy, trafficking, and illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing (IUU) destabilize maritime trade and threaten human security. Satellite-based monitoring shows that suspected illegal fishing activity in Philippine waters is rising: vessel detections increased by 9.6 percent in 2023 and by a further 10.5 percent in 2024. IUU fishing in municipal waters is estimated at over 107,000 metric tons annually, translating to income losses of approximately USD 92.9 million per year for the country’s 2.3 million registered municipal fishers. The Philippines’ limited enforcement capacity, hampered by shortfalls in patrol vessels, surveillance equipment, and trained personnel, makes the country acutely vulnerable. Addressing this challenge requires coordinated patrols, intelligence-sharing, and joint law enforcement through the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and with China.
Climate Change. This is not merely an environmental issue. It is a human security crisis of the first order. Sea levels around the Philippines are rising at 5.7 to 7 millimeters per year, nearly double the global average of 3.6 millimeters, and an estimated 13.6 million Filipinos could be displaced by 2100. With 60 percent of the country’s cities located along the coast, the archipelago’s exposure to climate-induced hazards is acute. The 2024 typhoon season alone caused estimated infrastructure and agricultural damages of USD 430 million. The challenge is integrating ocean governance into climate diplomacy and securing international support for adaptation and resilience.
Institutional Gaps and the Technological Divide. While United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and other multilateral frameworks provide legal architecture, enforcement mechanisms remain weak, and smaller states like the Philippines often struggle to assert their rights. Meanwhile, advanced maritime surveillance, renewable ocean energy, and marine biotechnology are dominated by wealthier nations. Bridging these divides requires not only multilateral platforms but active partnerships that facilitate technology transfer, capacity-building, and equitable investment.
Towards Good Global Ocean Governance: Prospects for Maritime Cooperation with China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
Against this backdrop, what does good global ocean governance actually mean?
Simply put, it is the promotion of good order at sea. It encompasses the strategic, security, and cooperative dimensions of managing the world’s seas. It envisions the oceans not only as ecological treasures but as geopolitical arenas where states must reconcile national interests with collective responsibility.
Good ocean governance requires multilateral institutions that foster trust, transparency, and equitable participation, while also addressing maritime security threats such as piracy, illegal fishing, and territorial disputes. It integrates scientific knowledge with legal frameworks like UNCLOS, but insists that rules alone are insufficient without political will and cooperative enforcement. Ultimately, good ocean governance is about harmonizing sovereignty with solidarity ensuring that the oceans remain a domain of peace, sustainability, and shared prosperity.
For the Philippines, cooperation with ASEAN and China is a strategic imperative. Five areas merit particular attention, to wit:
Marine Environmental Protection. Only 5 percent of the South China Sea’s total waters are currently under protection, leaving 95 percent exposed to IUU fishing and unregulated resource extraction. The Philippines, China, and ASEAN can jointly pursue coral reef restoration, pollution control, and sustainable fisheries management. ASEAN provides the institutional platform to harmonize standards; China’s financial and technical resources can support implementation.
Disaster Response and Humanitarian Assistance. Collaborative maritime search-and-rescue operations, facilitated through ASEAN, directly enhance human security. Both the Philippines and China have the assets and expertise to contribute to regional disaster preparedness, reducing shared vulnerabilities to typhoons and maritime accidents.
Scientific Research and Knowledge Sharing. Joint marine scientific studies under ASEAN auspices deepen collective understanding of biodiversity and climate impacts. Transparency in research fosters confidence, reduces suspicion, and builds the trust among stakeholders that is indispensable for durable cooperation.
Transnational Crime Prevention. Coordinated patrols and information-sharing through ASEAN mechanisms can counter piracy, trafficking, and IUU fishing simultaneously. Philippine-China collaboration in these areas strengthens regional stability and secures maritime trade routes that benefit all parties.
Blue Economy Development. Ocean-based industries in the Philippines reached a valuation of PHP 1.01 trillion in 2024, contributing 3.8 percent to GDP and employing approximately 2.39 million Filipinos. Across ASEAN, maritime industries collectively add USD 2.4 trillion to regional GDP annually. Studies suggest that joint China-ASEAN investment of USD 2 to 3.7 trillion in the blue economy from 2020 to 2050 could generate net benefits of USD 8.2 to 22.8 trillion. The potential is transformative. ASEAN can serve as the hub for knowledge exchange; China can provide investment and technology transfer. The Philippines can position itself as both beneficiary and advocate of this shared maritime prosperity.
Addressing Non-Traditional Security Concerns
These cooperative efforts can also address the following non-traditional security concerns that are central to the advancement of Philippine national interests.
Food Security is strengthened through sustainable fisheries management and cooperative regulation of marine resources.
Human Security is enhanced by disaster resilience and humanitarian cooperation at sea. Every joint operation saves lives.
Transnational Crime Prevention is advanced through coordinated patrols, law enforcement collaboration, and intelligence-sharing that no single state can sustain alone.
Economic Resilience is promoted by diversifying growth through blue economy initiatives that create jobs and reduce dependence on vulnerable fisheries.
Environmental Stewardship is achieved by combating pollution, restoring ecosystems, and protecting the biodiversity upon which all other gains ultimately depend.
Policy Options
A Philippine strategy toward good ocean governance must therefore be dual-track. On one track, Manila must assert its national interests through legal diplomacy upholding UNCLOS that defend its maritime entitlements. On the other track, Manila must advance pragmatic cooperation through ASEAN and pursue comprehensive engagement with China in areas where interests converge.
Because these two tracks are complementary, cooperation is possible. In fact, cooperation is already partially underway in joint marine scientific research, fisheries conservation, coast guard communication, and marine environmental monitoring. These areas of cooperation are already covered under the Bilateral Consultative Mechanism (BCM) between Manila and Beijing. By embedding collaboration in ASEAN, the Philippines can ensure that engagement with China contributes to collective maritime governance rather than undermining national interests. The establishment of ASEAN Maritime Center in Manila is a step towards this direction.
The ASEAN Maritime Center
At the conclusion of the 48th ASEAN Summit in May 2026, members approved the establishment of ASEAN Maritime Center. It is established in the Philippines to strengthen regional coordination on maritime safety, freedom of navigation, and security across Southeast Asia. It is designed as a cooperative hub rather than a confrontational body, ensuring smooth trade and peaceful transit in critical waters like the South China Sea. The Center aims to accomplish the following purposes that can pursue good ocean governance:
Freedom of navigation: Safeguards uninterrupted passage in Southeast Asian waters, especially the South China Sea, which carries a large share of global trade.
Maritime safety: Enhances monitoring of vessel traffic and coordination to prevent accidents.
Regional cooperation: Consolidates efforts of ASEAN’s 11 member states into a unified mechanism.
Non-traditional threats: Addresses illegal fishing, smuggling, human trafficking, and border issues.
Defense integration: Provides a platform for joint security and information-sharing among ASEAN militaries.
The center can elevate ASEAN’s role in shaping the evolving architecture of global ocean governance. By fostering regional cooperation and information-sharing, it reduces duplication of monitoring systems and builds trust among member states, which is essential for effective governance of shared waters. Its alignment with SDG 14 on conserving oceans and marine resources highlights ASEAN’s commitment to sustainability, while its integration into ASEAN Vision 2045underscores long-term goals of connectivity and resilience. Hosting the center positions the Philippines as a leader in maritime cooperation, while ensuring Southeast Asia’s strategic waterways contribute to a secure, sustainable, and rules-based global ocean order.
Conclusion
Good global ocean governance is ensuring survival and fostering regional stability. The seas that surround the Philippines are medium through which Filipino civilization has been shaped, and through which it must navigate the challenges of the twenty-first century.
By harmonizing sovereignty with cooperation and leveraging ASEAN Maritime Center as a platform for constructive engagement with China to promote good ocean governance, the Philippines can, therefore, turn its complex maritime challenges into great opportunities. By pursuing the principle of good ocean governance, the Philippines can also champion a more secure, sustainable, and well-ordered future at sea.
Based on the presentation delivered at the Parallel Session 2: Global Ocean Governance – Challenges and Prospects during the Eighth International Symposium on Scientific and Legal Aspects of the Regimes of the Continental Shelf and the Area held in Xiamen, China on 26 May 2026. The session was organized by the Huayang Center for Marine Cooperation and Ocean Governance and the Second Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources.
Source: Eurasiareview
Share:
<p>Time: November 2025<br /> By: WTO and International Trade Group, Legal Department – VCCI</p>
