The Philippines is looking forward to working with the International Seabed Authority (ISA) on the possible creation of a “legal regime” and for future areas of cooperation with the intergovernmental body formed under the aegis of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Philippine Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Enrique Manalo conveyed this message to ISA Secretary-General Michael Lodge during a virtual meeting held last June 2.

“The Philippines attaches great importance to the work of the International Seabed Authority (ISA), and we appreciate the chance to participate and contribute to the work of the Authority in managing mineral resources in the Area, beyond national jurisdiction”, Manalo said.

Based in Kingston, Jamaica, the primary function of the ISA is to regulate exploration for and exploitation of deep seabed minerals found in 'the Area,' which is defined by the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) as the seabed and subsoil beyond the limits of national jurisdiction, or beyond the outer limits of the continental shelf.

“More and more, the work of the ISA is becoming important, and we look forward to working with the ISA on a possible legal regime for our contractors to take part in this process,” the Filipino diplomat added.

During the exchanges, Lodge expressed appreciation for Philippine support to the seabed authority, highlighting its regular financial contribution and active participation in capacity-building and other activities of the ISA.

He cited, among others, the significant contribution of Filipino scientist, Dr. Mario Aurelio, who is presently part of the 30-member Legal and Technical Commission of the ISA. The said group is responsible for reviewing applications for plans of work, supervising exploration or mining activities, and assessing environmental implications of activities in the Area. Aurelio is also the director of the National Institute of Geological Sciences (NIGS) at the University of the Philippines in Diliman.

The effective management of the Area can contribute to the realization of Sustainable Development Goal 14, which is to "conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development."

ISA came into existence on November 16, 1994, upon the entry into force of UNCLOS.

All States Parties to the convention are ‘ipso facto’ members of ISA. To date, ISA has 168 members, including 167 member States and the European Union.