TRANSPORTATION Secretary Giovanni Lopez said Tuesday that the Philippines is establishing a greenhouse gas emissions baseline for the maritime sector to guide its long-term transition toward full decarbonization.
The initiative, he added, was discussed at the Asean Future of Maritime Conference 2026 last week, which the Philippines co-hosted with the Asean Secretariat and Partnerships for Infrastructure, Australia's infrastructure development program in Southeast Asia.
The Department of Transportation, with its attached agencies the Philippine Ports Authority, Maritime Industry Authority, and Philippine Coast Guard, is working on the task in line with the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
"To achieve these goals, we need collective action among Asean member states and strong partnerships with countries such as Australia," Lopez said.
"We must continue to demonstrate solidarity and work together in pursuit of our shared aspirations. This is in our collective interest, and it is something we owe to future generations — a better future, a higher standard of living and improved quality of life for all our people," he added.
The conference, held under the theme Navigating Our Future Together: Advancing Maritime De-carbonization through Investment, Innovation and Skills, brought together government officials, maritime experts, investors and industry stakeholders from Asean and Australia.
Discussions focused on developing sustainable fleets, reducing emissions from port operations, strengthening regulatory cooperation and developing the workforce skills needed for maritime digitalization and the green transition.
Australian Ambassador to the Philippines Marc Innes-Brown said the maritime partnership between the two countries was expanding as they mark 80 years of diplomatic relations.
"As Australia and the Philippines celebrate 80 years of diplomatic relations, our maritime partnership continues to grow. Together, we can ensure the maritime transition delivers stronger connectivity, greater competitiveness and shared prosperity across our region," Innes-Brown said.
Australian Ambassador to Asean Tiffany McDonald said the conference was timely as the Philippines leads Asean under its 2026 chairship.
She said the conference reflected the Philippines' role in advancing maritime cooperation and supported Asean's broader goals of economic integration, resilience and sustainable growth.
Transportation Assistant Secretary for Maritime and Philippine representative to the Asean Senior Transport Officials Meeting Villamor Ventura Plan said the transition entails challenges but also brings opportunities to modernize Philippine fleets and ports, as well as deepen regional cooperation.
