You say the Verde Island Passage, and it’s a safe bet that a number of people will just stare back at you, and not really have an inkling of what you’re referring to. Even if you give them the hint of it being a place in the Philippines, the best you could hope for would be a lucky guess - unless they’re passionately into the environment, and/or advocate marine biodiversity and conservation. So to discover that a forum on the Passage, with top-name oceanographers, scientists, governance experts, and private sector supporters, was happening here in Manila, came as something of a surprise.

It was held on Sept. 15 at the Diamond Hotel Manila, and was entitled Apex of Hope: Securing a Nature-Positive Future for the Verde Island Passage, and the prime mover for the forum was former DENR Secretary Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga. And so you’re not kept in suspense, the Verde Island Passage (VIP) is a vital marine corridor linking the West Philippine Sea and the Pacific Ocean. It’s considered central to trade and culture, dating back to pre-Hispanic settlements and the Manila-Acapulco Galleon Trade. And it remains crucial to our country’s food security, to energy, and economic security.

An epicenter of marine biodiversity, the VIP sustains millions of Filipinos across Batangas, Mindoro, Marinduque and Romblon; as it anchors what is known as the Coral Triangle. It is a living laboratory for science-based governance. But it faces converging challenges that stem from climate change, to biodiversity loss, pollution, over-exploitation, and unplanned development pressure. The status of our Philippines’ blue economy owes a lot to what we do with the Verde Island Passage; as it is both a biodiversity apex, and an energy hub.

The talks given that day revolved around three main areas, one was the history and culture of the Passage, then there were talks devoted to the Science, and third, was about governance. The idea was to generate a nature-positive and resilient framework that would incorporate all three aspects, and provide a path forward that would both ‘measure’ and ‘treasure’ the Verde Island Passage - giving our blue economy a vital boost.

I could go on about my favorite speakers from the three main areas I mentioned above; but I think what’s best as your takeaway reading this, would be the summing up and synthesis made at the end of the one-day forum. More than merely looking at the past, and/or appreciating the present status of the Verde Island Passage; there was a desire to create a viable action plan for the Passage’s future, and one can only pray that it does not fall on deaf ears and idle minds. The Passage is a treasure; so lets recognize that and treat it like the precious body of water it is.

The unifying conclusion had three major themes. First, that the Verde Island Passage is both heritage and hope. Second, the challenges of climate and development pressures, overuse, pollution, and governance fragmentation are all formidable, but surmountable through science, history, community wisdom, and local enforcement. And third, the opportunities that now beckon include enacting Verde Island Passage legislation, establishing marine scientific research stations, and mobilizing the private sector and community commitments, and securing innovative financing.

This VIP legislation is crucial to establish lasting, lawful protection. The marine scientific research stations will act as our ocean sentinels. Mobilizing private sector commitments allows us to scale up community partnerships, and engages local communities as co-stewards. We’ve seen how successful this can be on terra firma, in the DENR campaign of planting trees. The idea is to build integrated, science-based, inclusive governance for the Passage. This starts with agreeing on a physical baseline; and working together, based on shared principles and values, with specific outcomes as deliverables.

By acting together, with the three anchors of science, culture, and cooperation, the Verde Island Passage can endure as a source of life, identity, and resilience for generations to follow. And the time to act is now.

Thank you to our DENR, to the California Academy of Sciences, to Singapore Ambassador H.E. Constance See, to the representatives from the UK, Australia and US Embassies. From the private sector, the ABS-CBN foundation, San Miguel, Metro Pacific, Prime Energy Malampaya, Aboitiz Equity Ventures, and First Philippine Holdings. I learned a lot from attending the forum; and acknowledging that by working together, we build scientific and governance capacity, with the recognition that “there is no Green without Blue, and no Blue without Green.”

We may be small in land, but we are a large ocean nation! And the Verde Island Passage should survive, and thrive!