CCC calls for climate-ready coasts during MANA Mo

MANILA — The Climate Change Commission (CCC) underscored the need to protect marine and coastal ecosystems and strengthen the resilience of coastal communities as the country observes Maritime and Archipelagic Nation Awareness Month, or MANA Mo, this September.

The annual observance was established under Proclamation No. 316, issued in 2017, to promote greater awareness of the Philippines’ maritime and archipelagic character and the importance of protecting the country’s maritime resources.

In 2025, the government reinforced the observance through Memorandum Circular No. 87, which directed national government agencies to promote year-round awareness of the Philippines as a maritime and archipelagic nation and support the annual MANA Mo celebration.

“As an archipelagic nation, our seas are not simply the spaces between our islands. They connect our communities, sustain livelihoods, support food security, and help protect us from the impacts of climate change,” said CCC Vice Chairperson and Executive Director Robert E.A. Borje.

Coastal communities face rising climate risks

Coastal communities face interconnected climate risks, including sea-level rise, storm surges, coastal flooding, erosion, saltwater intrusion, and the degradation of marine ecosystems.

These risks threaten homes, livelihoods, infrastructure, fisheries, and essential services in communities along the country’s extensive coastline.

Borje said healthy mangroves, seagrass beds, coral reefs, and other marine and coastal ecosystems serve as natural defenses that can help reduce climate risks while supporting biodiversity and local economies.

“Protecting these ecosystems is both climate action and development policy. Their condition influences how well our communities withstand hazards, recover from disruption and sustain livelihoods over time,” he said.

National plan prioritizes ecosystem resilience

The Philippine National Adaptation Plan 2023–2050 identifies ecosystem and biodiversity resilience and climate-resilient livelihoods and industries among the country’s priority adaptation outcomes.

The plan, the Philippines’ first long-term national framework dedicated to climate adaptation, seeks to strengthen resilience and reduce climate-related losses and damage through science-based, risk-informed, and locally grounded action.

Its implementation requires climate risks to be integrated into land-use and sea-use planning, infrastructure development, coastal resource management, and local development decisions.

The CCC called for stronger cooperation among national government agencies, local government units, coastal communities, fisherfolk, the private sector, academia, and civil society to protect marine resources and turn climate information into practical local action.

“Awareness must lead to better decisions—where and how we build, how we manage our coasts, how we protect livelihoods and how we use marine resources without diminishing their value for future generations,” Borje added.

MANA Mo promotes shared maritime responsibility

The CCC encouraged Filipinos to deepen their appreciation of the seas connecting the country’s islands and strengthen their shared commitment to protecting marine and coastal resources during MANA Mo.

The observance also highlights the role of healthy marine ecosystems in sustaining fisheries, supporting coastal livelihoods, protecting biodiversity, and strengthening communities against climate-related hazards.

The CCC is the government’s lead policymaking body tasked with coordinating, monitoring, and evaluating climate change programs and actions under Republic Act No. 9729, or the Climate Change Act of 2009, as amended.