In 2009, the EAS Congress was again convened to review and present to the region the results and impacts of the partnership arrangement and the SDS-SEA implementation, with the objective of assessing the achievements and map out future action to ensure the steady advancement of partnership initiatives in the region towards the sustainability of the Seas of East Asia.

The Congress was hosted by the Government of the Philippines and organized by PEMSEA and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Philippines. The East Asian Seas Congress 2009 was supported by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) and the Coastal Management Center (CMC).