THE Philippines’ growing ocean economy is putting a familiar trade question under a different lens: how can countries extract more economic value from the sea without exhausting the resource base that supports that growth?
Trade and industry policy can help answer that question, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) International Trade Undersecretary Allan Gepty said, as Southeast Asian economies seek to turn the Blue Economy into actual businesses, investments and jobs.
The Philippines, he said, has a particularly strong economic link to the sea, making the balance between environmental protection and commercial activity central to its Blue Economy strategy.
‘The Blue Economy agenda therefore gives Asean an opportunity to align two priorities that should never be uncoupled: protecting our oceans and creating prosperity for our people,’ Gepty said during the 4th Asean Blue Economy Forum hosted by the DTI on August 24 and 25 in Makati City.
Rather than treating ocean protection and economic activity as separate concerns, Gepty said governments should support sustainable enterprises, strengthen regional value chains and steer investments toward businesses and technologies that can create jobs while reducing pressure on marine resources.
The discussions were anchored on the Asean Blue Economy Framework adopted in 2023 and the Asean Blue Economy Implementation Plan 2026-2030, which aims to move the region from policy development toward implementation.
The push comes as the Philippines’ ocean economy continues to expand. In July, the Philippine Statistics Authority reported that the country’s ocean economy grew 5.3 percent in 2025 to P1.08 trillion from P1.02 trillion in 2024.
The latest figure accounted for 3.8 percent of gross domestic product at current prices, according to the Philippine Ocean Economy Satellite Account, which tracks the economic contribution of ocean-related activities.
Further, the government is also developing the policy framework around the sector.
The Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028 identifies sustainable ocean-based development as part of the country’s long-term growth strategy, while a proposed Blue Economy Act is among the priority measures in the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council’s common legislative agenda.
Separately, the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development held a two-day Blue Economy Inter-Agency Roundtable Dialogue on July 20 and 21, bringing government agencies into discussions on the sector’s development.
The August forum was held as the Philippines chairs Asean this year, with the country using its chairmanship to push for regional cooperation on inclusive and sustainable growth.