The Philippine Consulate General in Xiamen, headed by its Acting Head of Post Elaine Mae V. Laruan-Hernandez, together with Political and Economic Officer Faith Bautista and Local Hire/Translator Fubin Huang visited the Xiamen Marine International Cooperation Center located at the Xiamen Consular Area of Xiamen, China.

The visit is a fitting gesture of goodwill to XMICC which, together with PEMSEA (Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia), serves as the Secretariat to PNLG (PEMSEA’s Network of Local Governments) and the ITC-CSD (International Training Center for Coastal Sustainable Development) -  hailed as PEMSEA Regional Center for Integrated Coastal Management.

PEMSEA, which aims to establish partnerships between governments, institutions and departments to protect and sustain  coastal ecosystems, communities and economies,  is based in Quezon City, Philippines and is headed by its Executive Director Aimee Gonzales.  PEMSEA sits as Executive Committee member of PNLG.  Both entities cooperate in encouraging local governments and related organizations to join PNLG; formulating and implementing capacity building projects at the national and local levels, promote new and innovative tools of government for marine and coastal areas and collaborate on the organization and holding of PNLG annual meetings and the PNLG Annual Forum.

The XMICC’s main project is the organization of the World Ocean Week (WOW) which is usually held in November of each year.

During the visit, Mr. Lin Huaiyuan, Executive Deputy Secretary General of PNLG Secretary and Deputy Director-General of Xiamen Municipal Bureau of Ocean Development expressed the hope that PCG Xiamen can help in the effort to encourage more coastal cities/communities to join PNLG and in promoting widespread support for the conservation of marine resources, the promotion of marine life, coastal development as well as the development of coastal economies and coastal communities. - END