In my previous contributions to the Maritime Review, I highlighted the importance of an all-government approach to national security in updating a National Defense and Act. In my second contribution which was about Maritime Governance and administration, I highlighted the fragmentation of our various agencies and recommended amending the executive order that created the Coast Watch System, and updating the…
Introduction. The lack of maritime domain awareness and lack of expertise among countries in managing their maritime domain has allowed proliferation of lawlessness and crime on the seas. Organized crime and terrorism have become interconnected and more complex. A Philippine flag flutters from BRP Sierra Madre, a dilapidated Philippine Navy ship that has run aground since 1999 and became a…
Recognizing the archipelagic and maritime nature of the country, then President Fidel V Ramos issued in 1994 the National Marine Policy (NMP) to guide various stakeholders in the maritime community, especially those in government, in managing the “blue economy.” The policy contains four key areas: Politics and Jurisdiction, Area Regulation and Enforcement, Area Development and Conservation, and Maritime Security. Although…