Bicol has over 1,000 kilometers of coastline—but each year, more of it is swallowed by the sea. Our rivers, bays, and fishing grounds have sustained generations, yet they are now under siege from overfishing, marine pollution, coral reef loss, and rising seas. These are not distant threats. They are here. And they are personal.
I grew up surrounded by stories from the sea. My late father, Commodore Jaime Chavez Jimenez—founder of Mariners Polytechnic Colleges/Foundation in Bicol—was a Philippine Navy officer and educator who grew up by the Bicol River in Libmanan. As a poor boy, he earned his baon through odd jobs while dreaming of becoming a “big boat” captain. From his parents’ nipa house, he would watch bancas glide down the river, imagining the world beyond.
When he finally joined the Navy, years aboard ships taught him a simple truth: clean waters mean safe waters. He co-founded the Philippine Marine Environment Protection Association (PHILMEPA) to fight for that ideal. His example shaped my own view—that our seas are not just scenery; they are lifelines.
Over the years, I’ve seen what this means for Bicol’s coastal communities. Fisherfolk tell me their daily catch is shrinking. I’ve walked through barangays where floods and storm surges are routine. I’ve been stranded for days after a super typhoon—most recently Typhoon Cristine last year. These aren’t abstract climate issues—they’re lived realities. Out of these stories of loss and resilience, we launched the Tabang Bikol Movement in 2017, a volunteer network working for disaster response, resilience, and sustainable enterprises among survivors.
The Blue Economy offers hope. It is not just an environmental vision but an economic strategy—restoring marine ecosystems while creating sustainable livelihoods. While the Green Economy emphasizes forests and farmlands, the Blue Economy embraces fisheries, ports, coastal tourism, and marine energy—sectors vital to Bicolanos.
A few years ago, I invited Dr. Henry Balodaki, a Filipino maritime expert and inventor, to speak at Mariners via Zoom. His message was clear: “The Blue Economy is the future of Bicol.” Back then, it felt visionary. Today, it feels inevitable. More recently, during the Camarines Sur Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s anniversary, I met young staff from a Copenhagen-based partner in the San Miguel Bay offshore wind project. That brief encounter gave me hope for cheaper, cleaner electricity—proof that ocean and wind power can fight climate change while reshaping local economies.
Bicol’s waters give us both risk and opportunity. Healthy mangroves, coral reefs, and blue-carbon ecosystems are natural defenses, blunting storm surges and reducing flooding. They are climate adaptation in action—and they also boost fisheries, tourism, and biodiversity.
The Blue Economy can also be a force for inclusion—creating jobs, empowering women, and strengthening governance. Through Mariners’ extension programs and CHED-backed Social Enterprise Development initiatives, I have seen how empowering communities to manage and protect marine resources changes lives. Social entrepreneurship offers a pathway out of poverty—moving families beyond dependence on ayuda and short-term remedies.
As part of the Multi-Sectoral Advisory Council (MSAC) of the DILG Region 5, I have seen how government, academe, business, and civil society can work together to advance this vision. True people-centered development means policies that deliver tangible benefits to the poor and marginalized—especially farmers and fisherfolk. This aligns with the Philippine Development Plan 2023–2028, the Bicol Regional Development Plan, the Maritime Industry Development Plan, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals—especially SDG 14: Life Below Water. But policies matter only if they are implemented—locally, collaboratively, and urgently.
One project I hope the DENR and the Bicol Regional Development Council will champion is a region-wide mangrove restoration and rehabilitation program. Beyond shielding coasts from floods and typhoons, it would secure livelihoods, enhance fisheries, and lock away carbon—delivering environmental, social, and economic benefits in one sweep.
For Bicol, the Blue Economy is not a slogan. It is a necessity. Mariners’ commitment is clear: we will advocate, educate, and collaborate to make it real. We are a region shaped by water—and our future depends on how we care for it today. The tide is rising. Let Bicol be the first Philippine region to fully embrace the Blue Economy—restoring our waters, protecting our coasts, and securing our future.
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Evita Jimenez-Tuazon is the Board Chair of Mariners Polytechnic Colleges Foundation (MPCF) Canaman, Camarines Sur, and Mariners Polytechnic Colleges (MPC) Naga City. She is also the Founding Board Chair of the Tabang Bikol Movement—the flagship extension services volunteer program of the Mariners schools—which has been consistently recognized as an outstanding volunteer organization in Region V by various award-giving bodies for excellence in disaster response, social entrepreneurship, volunteerism, and community-based development work. She went to the University of the Philippines Diliman for her undergraduate and graduate studies. An entrepreneur and active member of the Camarines Sur Chamber of Commerce, she is also a columnist for Bicol Mail, the region’s largest weekly newspaper.