'Normalize human rights narrative’ urges Manila Maritime SAR and HRAS Forum Participants

From C-suite boardrooms to ship control rooms: ‘Normalize human rights narrative’ urges Maritime SAR and HRAS forum participants

OP-ED Yrhen Bernard Sabanal Balinis MNI 

MANILA, PHILIPPINES – In an effort to identify current opportunities in the field of maritime search and rescue and support the safeguarding of human rights at sea for all ocean workers, the Ocean Centres Philippines conducted the “Pan Pan: Workshop on Maritime Search and Rescue (SAR) and Human Rights at Sea” last 02 September 2025. This occurred at the margins of the International Conference on Seafarers’ Human Rights, Safety, and Well-being, which led to the adoption of the Manila Declaration.

The event gathered over 50 stakeholders from the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), PCG Auxiliary, shipping businesses, academia, maritime training centers and civil society organizations.

During his keynote message, DMW Assistant Secretary Atty. Jerome Pampolina emphasized the timely theme of the workshop, “Pan Pan”, alluding to the radiotelephony used in transmitting urgent messages. He highlighted the need for urgent collaboration and act together to uphold and safeguard the seafarers amidst the increasing geopolitical conflicts and emerging challenges in the maritime seascape.

Forum Proceedings

Human Rights at Sea (HRAS) CEO and Founder, David Hammond, Esq. AFNI, presented on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) article 98 on duty to render assistance.

He also applauded the Philippines' initiative in its trailblazing work with the Manila Declaration. He noted that the HRAS has a similar pioneering initiative, the Geneva Declaration on Human Rights at Sea (GDHRAS).

“Chief of the challenges of note is a wider state and non-state acceptance of the founding principle that: ‘human rights apply at sea, as they do on land’. It is therefore imperative to have a normalization and customary use of the ‘human rights at sea’ language in diplomatic circles, academic teachings, media reporting and commercial business.”

Meanwhile, The Nautical Institute’s representative to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Captain Chris O’Flaherty AFNI, presented updates on the IMO’s work on search and rescue, particularly in the context of Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS), and the model courses related to SAR. He also noted that the Philippines has yet to ratify the IMO Search and Rescue Convention and urged the participants to explore this topic during the workshop.

From a global view on international laws and conventions, the Philippine Coast Guard Academy Superintendent, Commodore Paolo Z Abejuela PCG presented a country-specific perspective. In his presentation “Strengthening the Capabilities and Preparedness of PCG Workforce”, Commodore Abejuela PCG stated that in 2024, the PCG produced 407 new officers and 3,759 new enlisted personnel, tallying the total PCG population at 33,812. He also shared that there are currently 16 PCG districts nationwide, and the modernisation of PCG assets and systems is underway.

After the first round of discussions, participants were given a chance to engage with the speakers through a question and answer. Attendees discussed SAR in the global and domestic contexts, delineated maritime security and maritime safety risks, and agreed that human rights apply at sea as they do on land ushering to a need for mainstreaming of human rights narrative in normal conversations, from executive boardrooms to ship and engine control room.

Breaking Glass Ceilings

The forum also examined the Philippines’ SAR through a gender lens. A virtual presentation by IMO’s Women in Maritime Programme Focal Point, Mariana Noceti focused on the initiatives of the United Nations specialized agency in recruiting and retaining women in SAR roles.

This was then followed by a panel discussion on “Women Leading Change”. On the panel are Women in Maritime (WIMA) Asia and WIMA Philippines president, Merle Jimenez-San Pedro, and Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary 102^nd Squadron’s first female director, Auxillary Commodore Yashika F Torib PCGA. Both the panel speakers agreed that in their tenure, partnership will be a key priority to engage stakeholders. AUX COMMO TORIB emphasised that in her term, civic engagement will be a priority especially in involving women and youth dubbed as “sea scouts”. Ms. Jimenez-San Pedro concluded, “We need to organize ourselves for us to make a greater impact.”

A closed-door workshop session happened in the afternoon. The output will form part of the development of the country’s position paper on the 12th International Search and Rescue (iSAR) Conference and Exhibition event to be held in Malaysia in 2026.

This event is part of the series of workshops convened by the Ocean Centres Philippines. The Ocean Centres initiative, hosted by the UN Global Compact and supported by the Lloyd’s Register Foundation, has been set up in seven countries – Brazil, Ghana, Kenya, India, Bangladesh, Indonesia and the Philippines.

Each centre, strategically located to address regional safety challenges, will play a vital role in fostering collaboration between governments, industry leaders, and maritime communities. The initiative will foster locally led solutions to the challenges that are to be found in each of the regions. 

Building on this, they aim to promote responsible business practices in ocean-based economies and influence the creation of new standards and policies.

The Ocean Centres were established through a partnership between the UN Global Compact (UNGC), a leading advocate for sustainability in the private sector, and Lloyd’s Register Foundation, a global charity dedicated to engineering a safer world. They are implemented through UNGC Country Networks in seven nations identified by local experts during the initiative’s scoping phase: Brazil, Ghana, Kenya, India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, and the Philippines.

ENDS.

Source: Human Rights at Sea 2025.

Author: Yrhen Bernard Sabanal Balinis MNI.

Certified Original. AI was not used in the drafting of this article.

Photo: Oceans Centre Philippines via FaceBook.

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