Philippines President Duterte raised the issues of coral reef protection and illegal fishing during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ (ASEAN) dialogue with China on Tuesday, Oct. 26.
“We hark back to the Philippines’ ASEAN Chairmanship in 2017 where we declared the Decade of Coastal and Marine Environmental Protection in the South China Sea from 2017 to 2027,” Duterte said during his intervention in the 24th ASEAN-China Summit, which is part of the ongoing 38th and 39th ASEAN Summits and Related Summits.
“Pursuant to this, we call for holistic efforts to protect and preserve biodiversity and the marine environment,” said Duterte, who is participating in the twin summits virtually.
“Vulnerable marine ecosystems, such as coral reefs and other living spaces of endangered and migratory wildlife species, should be prioritized,” he noted.
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https://mb.com.ph/2021/10/27/duterte-brings-up-coral-reef-protection-illegal-fishing-during-asean-china-dialogue/