Good and Green
The Good and Green Podcast, hosted by sustainability advocate Chit Juan, was created for the purpose of helping social entrepreneurs overcome challenges and grow impactful ventures that drive meaningful change. Each week, we share the tools, strategies, and stories that empower changemakers to build businesses with purpose. Whether you're launching your dream social enterprise or looking for fresh inspiration, this podcast is your go-to space for practical insights and uplifting conversations. Let's create a brighter, more sustainable future together!
Good and Green
Episode 26: Empower Fisherfolk to Spark a Powerful Ocean Revival with Gloria Estenzo Ramos
How can we protect the oceans that feed us and empower the coastal communities that rely on them?
In this episode of the Good and Green Podcast, Chit Juan speaks with Attorney Gloria Estenzo Ramos, co-founder of the Philippine Earth Justice Center and former Vice President of Oceana Philippines. Atty. Ramos shares her decades-long mission to protect the Philippines' marine ecosystems and fight for the rights of small-scale fisherfolk. From the importance of the 15-kilometer municipal waters policy to the use of technology in tracking illegal fishing, this conversation reveals how law, science, and community engagement work together to restore our oceans. Listeners will also learn how consumer choices and traceability can support a more sustainable seafood system.
GUEST BIO:
Atty. Gloria "Golly" Estenzo Ramos is the former Vice President of Oceana Philippines, where she led efforts to advance science-based, sustainable fisheries management and helped implement landmark policies such as vessel monitoring for commercial fishing vessels and the protection of Philippine Rise. A co-founder of the Philippine Earth Justice Center, she played a key role in halting offshore oil drilling in the Tañon Strait through a Supreme Court victory. Recognized as one of the Philippine Daily Inquirer’s 2024 Women of Power and the 2018 Mariang Maya awardee, Ramos has long championed marine conservation and continues to advocate for ocean protection through law, policy, and community engagement.
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN:
- What makes the Philippines the "center of the center" of marine biodiversity
- Why the 15-kilometer municipal waters law is essential to fisherfolk livelihoods
- How illegal commercial fishing threatens food security and marine life
- The role of technology like satellite data and vessel monitoring systems
- The importance of post-harvest facilities and support for fishing communities
- How local governance and consumer engagement drive sustainable change
- The need for traceability and sustainable seafood labeling
QUOTES:
- The Philippines is the center of the center of marine biodiversity in the world. — Gloria Ramos
- We rank 12th in the world for fish production. — Gloria Ramos
- The Philippines has very progressive world class laws to protect our environment, to protect our ocean, but the implementation is very weak. — Gloria Ramos
- We can use technology to make more sustainable communities. — Chit Juan
- We, as consumers, should have that right to know where our food is coming from and if they were sustainably harvested. — Gloria Ramos
LINKS or RESOURCES MENTIONED:
Connect with Oceana Philippines:
- Website - https://ph.oceana.org
- Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/oceana.ph
- X - https://x.com/Oceana_ph
- Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/oceana_ph
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