The third quarter of 2026 continued to strengthen regional cooperation, knowledge exchange, capacity development, and basin-level planning under the GEF/ UNDP/ASEAN Integrated River Basin Management (IRBM) Project. Activities brought together national and local government agencies, regional institutions, technical experts, and communities across the six participating ASEAN Member States. Highlights included the ASEAN Regional Forum on Innovations in River Basin Governance and Management, the Fourth Regional Steering Committee Meeting, consultations in the Nam Tha River Basin, regional training activities in Indonesia and Malaysia, and Technology Needs Assessment for food and biodegradable waste management in Pasac-Guagua Watershed in the Philippines. Selected follow-up developments through October are also included. 

In July, the ASEAN Regional Forum on Innovations in River Basin Governance and Management discussed the key findings and recommendations from the regional assessment on river basin governance and management in the ASEAN region, drawing on basin-level experiences, institutional arrangements, and policy frameworks. Country-specific feedback and technical inputs will inform the refinement of the draft IRBM Guide for Improved Governance and Management and associated assessment templates. 

Also in July, the Fourth Regional Steering Committee meeting, hosted by Lao PDR’s Department of Water Resources, Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, noted the implementation progress, lessons learned, challenges and next steps at the river basin, country and regional levels, as well as the proposed activities and budget for the remaining period of 2026. The meeting approved in principle the proposed 2027 Annual Work Plan and Budget, urged the Regional Project Management Unit, participating countries and project partners to complete the remaining Mid-Term Review management actions, and noted the request to expand the engagement of the ASEAN Working Group on Water Resources Management National Focal Points from the 11 ASEAN Member States. The meeting also launched the IRBM animated video on “Healthy River Basins Support Healthier Lives” and the State of River Basin Report of Nam Tha River Basin, which provides baseline information on biophysical, socioeconomic, and governance conditions of the basin.

In Lao PDR, the Project conducted site visits and consultations on pilot project development in the Nam Tha River Basin. Discussions identified priority issues such as forest encroachment, slash-and-burn activities, water security, and flooding, while also exploring opportunities to support local livelihoods. Among the pilot projects identified include upstream protection for water supply in Pak Tha District, Bokeo Province; livelihood development in Nam Ngan Village, Luang Namtha Province; and updating the Action Plan for the Agriculture Research and Extension Center in Oudomxay Province.

In the Philippines, consultations on pilot project development continue to move forward. In Imus-Ylang Ylang-Rio Grande Rivers (IYRR) in Cavite, discussions on financing options for a proposed Septage Treatment Facility particularly the eligibility and application requirements for Amadeo Municipality to avail of the subsidy from the Department of Public Works and Highways’ National Sewerage and Septage Management Program (NSSMP) were conducted. As part of the application requirements for the NSSMP, the Project will support the updating of the feasibility study on septage management in Amadeo Municipality under the guidance of the IYRR Water Quality Management Area Governing Board and in coordination with the IYRR WQMA Secretariat and Cavite’s Office of the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer. In Pasac-Guagua Watershed (PGW), the Project has conducted Technology Needs Assessment (TNA) for food and biodegradable waste following its presentation at the Third Quarter Pampanga Provincial Solid Waste Management Board Meeting where the board were briefed on the scope, objectives, and expected outputs from the TNA of the PGW, and agreed on the schedule for the site visits in the 10 municipalities as part of the assessment. In October, the Project conducted a series of fieldwork in these municipalities to assess waste generation, composition, disposal, and management. Findings will inform technical recommendations for viable technological options for food and biodegradable waste management.

In August, the Project organized the Regional Workshop on Environmental Monitoring and Reporting in Depok City, Indonesia where participants from the six participating ASEAN Member States, examined the monitoring practices and reporting needs across seven priority river basins. Sessions covered indicator selection, monitoring design, data interpretation, and reporting, and introduced the Freshwater Health Index for consideration in the State of River Basin (SoRB) reporting. Findings will inform the refinement of the draft regional Guide on Environmental Monitoring and Reporting to support SoRB reporting and IRBM planning.

From September to October, the Project conducted the Regional Integrated River Basin Management Training of Trainers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to pilot-test and validate the draft IRBM Training Manual and Facilitator Guide. It brought together national and local government representatives, members of the PEMSEA Network of Learning Centers and PEMSEA Network of Local Governments, and university partners to review the training materials, practice facilitation and training techniques and strengthen their capacity to deliver IRBM training in their respective countries. Participatory sessions and site visits demonstrated practical approaches to basin governance and community engagement.

The regional and basin level activities provided opportunities to identify key elements of IRBM governance and management in consideration of national and basin level priorities and contexts; the requirements for monitoring and reporting of progress, and the training needs and tools to enhance IRBM capacity and learning. Consultations on pilot project development in Lao PDR and the Philippines confirmed the focus and possible partnership arrangements. The Project will build on these developments and implement the agreed actions to deliver on its objectives of establishing functional IRBM mechanisms and managing the identified alterations to the Source-to-Sea flows in the priority river basins.

From local solutions to international dialogues, October saw PEMSEA bringing coastal and ocean governance conversations to the forefront.

On the international stage, PEMSEA brought regional perspectives to the 11th International Waters Conference in Indonesia, the 2nd APEC Ocean Resilience Enhancement Conference, and Asia-Pacific Ocean Week 2026. Through these engagements, PEMSEA shared experiences and practical approaches to integrated coastal management, ocean resilience, and source-to-sea governance, contributing East Asian Seas perspectives to wider discussions on shared environmental challenges and regional cooperation.

At the regional level, the PEMSEA Executive Committee (EC) met online for the 36th EC Meeting  to review institutional governance measures, discuss regional priorities, and look ahead to key Partnership milestones taking shape for 2027.

In the Philippines, PEMSEA continued to strengthen local partnerships through the PRICELESS Project and MOF/PEMSEA Marine Plastics ODA Project through continued collaboration with its partners and stakeholders.

Different platforms, shared priorities. This month, PEMSEA's engagements showed how regional experience can inform international conversations, how partnerships can shape collective priorities, and how cooperation can support solutions on the ground.

September connected regional decisions with local action—from a new declaration in Busan to community-led work across the region.

In Busan, the 2026 PNLG General Assembly adopted the Busan Declaration on Promoting Local Coastal Resilience and Sustainable Blue Economy and welcomed Atauro Island, Timor-Leste, as the Network’s newest member. Meanwhile, PEMSEA Founder Dr. Chua Tia-Eng returned to the PEMSEA Resource Facility for a discussion with colleagues on  PEMSEA’s history, lessons, and continuing role in advancing sustainable coastal and ocean governance.

PEMSEA project updates include the GEF/UNDP/ASEAN IRBM Project advanced planning for food and biodegradable waste management in the Pasac-Guagua Watershed, while the PRICELESS Project brought stakeholders together in Regions 3 and 4A to tackle challenges and priorities for the Philippine Rise.

In the Philippines and Timor-Leste, MEP partners under the MOF/PEMSEA Marine Plastics ODA Project mobilized communities, schools, government agencies and civil society organizations for International Coastal Cleanup activities, turning awareness of marine plastic pollution into action on the ground.

In the Philippines, multi-sectoral stakeholders in Bicol and Cagayan Valley provided inputs for the local implementation of the PRICELESS Project and the management of the Philippine Rise Marine Resource Reserve (PRMRR). At the 4th ASEAN Blue Economy Forum, PEMSEA called for concrete investments to address the triple planetary crisis while protecting marine biodiversity and coastal livelihoods.

In Busan, the upcoming 2026 PNLG–PNLC Joint Learning Forum Technical Session will examine nature-based, network-driven pathways for local blue economies, including approaches to coastal resilience and sustainable economic opportunities from marine and coastal ecosystems.

Meanwhile, the GEF/UNDP/ASEAN IRBM Project brought together representatives from six ASEAN Member States for a regional workshop on environmental monitoring and reporting in support of IRBM program development and implementation. Participants also visited sites in the Ciliwung River Basin to examine practical applications of environmental monitoring, including industrial wastewater treatment and the Online Realtime Waste Water Quality Monitoring System (SPARING).

Across the region, PEMSEA partners came together to reflect on progress, strengthen partnerships, and chart the path forward for a resilient East Asian Seas region. At the center of these conversations was the 18th East Asian Seas Partnership Council Meeting in Singapore, where PEMSEA Country and Non-Country Partners reviewed key achievements, agreed on strategic priorities, and reaffirmed a shared vision for healthy coasts, resilient communities, and sustainable blue economies. The field visit to Singapore’s Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve offered participants an opportunity to see firsthand how conservation efforts and nature-based solutions contribute to resilient coastal ecosystems.

Collaboration extended well beyond the EAS Partnership Council Meeting. This month saw the approval of revised pilot projects in three Philippine sites and continued preparations for implementation in Timor-Leste under the MOF/PEMSEA Marine Plastics ODA Project, bringing local governments one step closer to turning plans into action. The GEF/UNDP/ASEAN Integrated River Basin Management (IRBM) Project also marked several milestones, convening regional dialogues on  river basin governance, holding its 4th Regional Steering Committee Meeting, and advancing pilot project development through field missions and local engagement.

Taken together, these stories reflect a busy July and show how regional cooperation is translated into practical solutions—through partnerships, informed decision-making, and sustained action on the ground.

The second quarter of 2026 focused on technical capacity development, regional and global knowledge exchange, and basin-level implementation under the GEF/UNDP/ASEAN Integrated River Basin Management (IRBM) Project. Activities during the quarter included the Regional Training on the REWEFe Toolkit and Water–Energy–Food–Ecosystem (WEFE) Nexus Application; knowledge exchange on marine litter governance and Source-to-Sea cooperation; and the formalization of partnerships for Project implementation in the Kedah River Basin, Malaysia. 

In April, representatives from the six ASEAN Member States participating in the Project took part in the hybrid Regional Training on the REWEFe Toolkit and WEFE Nexus Application, held in Manila, Philippines. Participants were introduced to the Project’s basin-level WEFE Nexus assessment and the REWEFe Toolkit comprising the User Manual and Guide. Through lectures, discussions, and hands-on exercises, they examined the governance and technical dimensions of applying the Toolkit, developed user-defined scenarios, and analyzed trade-offs and synergies across the WEFE nexus. The training also explored how scenario results can support cross-sector coordination and inform IRBM strategies and action plans, pilot project development, and stakeholder discussions at the river basin level.

Regional knowledge exchange continued in May through the PEMSEA Resource Facility’s participation in the International Summer Course on Marine Litter Management, Policy and Integrated Coastal Governance in the East Asian Seas Region, hosted by IPB University in Bogor, Indonesia. Ms. Nancy Bermas, Regional Project Manager of the IRBM Project, delivered a lecture on cross-country mapping of marine litter governance and management. She introduced PEMSEA’s Framework for Sustainable Development of Coastal and Marine Areas and presented the Manila Bay experience to illustrate how partnerships among governments, academic institutions, the private sector, development partners, civil society organizations, and communities can support coordinated responses to managing marine litter. She also discussed how the IRBM Project and the MOF/PEMSEA Marine Plastics Official Development Assistance (ODA) Project contribute to marine litter and plastic waste management. 

Also in May, the Project shared its experience in applying the Source-to-Sea approach during the webinar, Source-to-Sea Cooperation: Practical Guidance for Implementation in Transboundary Basins, jointly organized by GEF IW:LEARN and the Secretariat of the UN Water Convention at UNECE. During the practitioner panel, Ms. Bermas explained how the IW:LEARN guidance has informed the Project from concept and project development through implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and learning. She highlighted its application in identifying priority flows and basin hotspots; conducting stakeholder mapping and governance baseline assessments; strengthening multisectoral and interagency river basin mechanisms; developing and implementing pilot projects to address the priority flows; and establishing monitoring, evaluation, and learning systems, including indicator-based State of River Basin Reports. She also emphasized the need for more on-the-ground examples showing how integrated river basin management, integrated coastal management, and marine protected area networks can be linked through the broader Sourceto- Sea framework. 

In June, the Project officially launched implementation in the Kedah River Basin following the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement between the Universiti Sains Malaysia and the PEMSEA Resource Facility and a Memorandum of Understanding among the Department of Irrigation and Drainage Malaysia, the Kedah State Water Resources Board, and Universiti Sains Malaysia. The agreements formalized partnerships to strengthen the coordinating mechanism for IRBM implementation, undertake a baseline assessment of the river basin and associated coastal areas of Kedah State, and prepare a State of River Basin Report and IRBM Strategic Action Plan. The Project will also support the development and implementation of pilot projects addressing priority concerns, including flooding, declining water quality, and sedimentation. 

This edition also features a closer look at the Project’s WEFE Nexus assessment, and the application of the REWEFe Toolkit supported by a User Manual and Guide. The feature explains how these resources contribute to understanding basin conditions, assessing future scenarios, and informing IRBM strategies, action plans, and potential interventions across the seven priority river basins.

There's a quote that says, "Believe you can and you're halfway there." For PEMSEA, the month of June marks an exciting midpoint of growth and collaboration for sustainable coastal, ocean, and river basin governance across the East Asian Seas region.

Check out our key milestones this June:

Kedah River Basin, Malaysia: The GEF/UNDP/ASEAN Integrated River Basin Management (IRBM) Project officially launched implementation following a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) signed between Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) and the PEMSEA Resource Facility (PRF) on 16 June 2026.

PRICELESS Project Progress: The Project successfully held its  Interim Inter-Agency Technical Working Group and Project Steering Committee meetings on 18–19 June to align strategic goals.

PEMSEA 2025 Annual Report: PEMSEA officially released its annual report, detailing a year of collective achievements, stronger partnerships, and high-impact initiatives in ocean governance.

New Alliance in Indonesia: On 22 June, ATSEA and Nusa Cendana University formalized a strategic partnership by signing a Memorandum of Understanding and Agreement in East Nusa Tenggara.

World Ocean Day in the Philippines: In Puerto Princesa City, Palawan, coastal communities joined a major coastal clean-up led by Project Zacchaeus, the Marine Environment Protector partner under the MOF/PEMSEA Marine Plastics ODA Project.

Regional Capacity Development: In Bangkok, PEMSEA Resource Facility Executive Director Ms. Aimee Gonzales spoke at the CAPFISH Summer Academy Southeast Asia, organized by the World Maritime University, RoKorea's Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and Korea Maritime Institute emphasizing the critical need for innovation, inclusive governance, and regional cooperation to sustainably manage  the region's fisheries.

In Indonesia, read how IPB University convened the Summer Course on Marine Litter Management, Policy, and Integrated Coastal Governance. Discover how the PEMSEA Resource Facility supported the PEMSEA Network of Learning Centers (PNLC) as regional experts gathered in Bogor to train international students and early-career researchers. Ms. Nancy Bermas, Regional Project Manager of the GEF/UNDP/ASEAN Integrated River Basin Management Project, represented PRF and delivered a lecture on cross-country marine litter governance and management. She introduced PEMSEA’s Framework for Sustainable Development of Coastal and Marine Areas, highlighting how marine litter responses can align with global, regional, national, and local action plans, while using Manila Bay as a case study for multi-stakeholder collaboration. Ms. Bermas also shared how PRF’s IRBM Project and the MOF/PEMSEA Marine Plastics ODA Project on Reducing Marine Plastics are supporting regional efforts in marine litter and plastic waste management.

In the Philippines, discover how efforts to protect the Ticao-Burias Pass Protected Seascape (TBPPS) are translating into concrete local action as PEMSEA, the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB), and DENR-BMB held a second major training workshop in Legazpi City on Integrated Coastal Management (ICM) and Marine Spatial Planning. In Thailand, read about the ASEAN ENMAPS project’s efforts to strengthen ICM and Marine Spatial Planning for marine protected area management through its training workshop.

This month saw a region in motion, across coasts and river basins. In April, PEMSEA and its partners advanced blue carbon collaboration, strengthened coastal and river basin management, and pushed forward practical solutions across the region.

Read how PEMSEA’s non-country partners, the Korea Maritime Institute and the Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology, convened the 2026 Blue Carbon International Seminar, bringing together regional experts to connect science, policy, and emerging carbon markets.

In the Philippines,  discover how efforts in the Ticao-Burias Pass Protected Seascape are supporting stronger marine protection and more coordinated local planning as

the ASEAN ENMAPS project held a training course where stakeholders were trained on integrated coastal management and marine spatial planning.

At the regional level, the GEF/UNDP/ASEAN Integrated River Basin Management Project continued to strengthen regional capacity through training on the Rapid Evaluation of the Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystems (REWEFe)  and Water–Energy–Food–Ecosystem Nexus approaches. Read more on how participants are applying these tools to better understand trade-offs and support more integrated decision-making.

This month also covers first-quarter developments under the IRBM Project, including strengthened coordination, planning, and pilot actions in the Philippines. Discover how ongoing efforts in Cavite and Pampanga are translating strategies into practical solutions on the ground, while a featured story from Malaysia’s Kedah River Basin sheds light on the role of communities and women in sustaining river systems.