The month of May is “Month of the Ocean” by virtue of Presidential Proclamation No. 57 signed by then President Joseph Estrada on Dec. 11, 1998.

The said Constitution recognizes that “coastal and marine resources provide both economic and ecological benefits, such as food, livelihood, recreation and other services, as well as biodiversity, aesthetic value, and shoreline protection”. The Proclamation also reiterated the provision in the Constitution that “the State shall protect the nation’s marine wealth in its archipelagic waters, territorial sea, and exclusive economic zone, and reserve its use and enjoyment exclusively to Filipino citizens.”