As one of the Country-Partners of the Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA), the Government of the Philippines through the DENR co-hosted the said event in cooperation with the LGU of Puerto Princesa City and the Provincial Government of Palawan. The Partnership Council Meeting is being held annually, with PEMSEA Country-Partners taking turns co-hosting the event alongside the PEMSEA Resource Facility. The meeting was participated in by officials and representatives from Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan, Lao PDR, Philippines, RO Korea, Singapore, Timor Leste and Vietnam and non-country partners from regional organizations such as ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity and Oil Spill Response Limited, and universities such as IPB University in Indonesia and Xiamen University in China.

The council meeting discussed the progress and updates of the Sustainable Development Strategy for the Seas of East Asia (SDS-SEA) Implementation Plan covering the years 2023 to 2027. The meeting also covered updates on the 2024 EAS Congress, the 8^th Ministerial Forum, the draft 8^th Ministerial Declaration and the PEMSEA Resource Facility (PRF) Sustainability Plan.

The PRF led by Executive Director Aimee T. Gonzales, and in support of the government of the Philippines through the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) led by Undersecretary for Policy, Planning and International Affairs and PEMSEA EAS Partnership Council Co-Chair Atty. Jonas R. Leones, the PEMSEA Secretariat, National Focal Point, Philippines, and the DENR PENRO Palawan led by PENRO Felizardo B. Cayatoc successfully co-hosted the Partnership Council Meeting. Regional Executive Director Felix Mirasol, Jr., CESO IV represented by OIC-Asst. Regional Executive Director Maximo C. Landrito also joined the hosts in welcoming the delegates.

EAS Chairperson Dr. Vann Monyneath of Cambodia, Mr. Le Dai Thang of Vietnam as Intergovernmental Session Co-Chair, Dr. Suk Jae Kwon of Republic of Korea as Technical Session Co-Chair, and Ms. Chen Dan Hong of China as Intergovernmental Session Chair presided their respective session meetings.

A Welcome Dinner and a breath-taking Palawan Cultural presentation were co-hosted by Gov. Victorino Dennis M. Socrates of the Provincial Government of Palawan. An Ecotour of the Puerto Princesa City Underground River National Park was in cooperation with the Puerto Princesa City Government led by Mayor Lucilo M. Bayron, City Health Office, Puerto Princesa City Police Office and City Tourism Office and CENRO Puerto Princesa City.

Atty. Jonas R. Leones, the EAS Co-Chair, congratulated the EAS Chair, council members, the PEMSEA Resource Facility, DENR PENRO Palawan and the LGU for the successful conduct of the meeting. He quoted in his closing remarks that – “the activity is vital to protect and preserve our marine ecosystem for an effective governance of our oceans, economy and people”

The event is part of the country’s commitment under the Haikou Partnership Agreement and Partnership Operating Arrangement on the implementation of the Sustainable Development Strategy for the Seas of East Asia (SDS-SEA).

“The Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA) was established by eleven (11) country-partners in the East Asian Seas (EAS) Region including the Philippines which aims to address marine governance issues in the region.  The EAS Partnership Council is one of the mechanisms for implementing the SDS-SEA and serves as the decision-making body that provides policy and operational guidance for the implementation of the strategy, Integrated Coastal Management (ICM) and for addressing other emerging issues concerning and sustainable governance in the East Asian Seas region.”