MANILA – A defining moment of the International Conference on Seafarers’ Human Rights, Safety, and Well-being took place with the presentation of the Manila Declaration, a landmark global call to action to safeguard the rights, safety, and welfare of seafarers.

In her conference synthesis, Administrator Sonia B. Malaluan reflected that the two-day event underscored one clear message: seafarers are not just workers but rights-holders whose dignity, safety, and well-being must remain at the core of policies, industry practices, and international cooperation. She emphasized that the Manila Declaration now stands as a guiding compass for collective action, urging governments, industry, and global institutions to work together in ensuring that human rights, inclusivity, and just transition principles shape the future of maritime work.

The Manila Declaration was formally launched by Permanent Representative of the Philippines to the United Nations in Geneva, His Excellency Carlos Sorreta. Ambassador Sorreta emphasized Manila Declaration as the central outcome of the conference, calling it a roadmap to safeguard seafarers’ rights and dignity. He said the declaration lays down concrete commitments, ranging from enforcing global conventions to ensuring a just transition, that reflect the shared responsibility of governments, industry, and partners to protect and empower seafarers worldwide.

Delegations and organizations were invited to endorse the Declaration through written commitments, official notes, or public statements of support. Organizers emphasized that endorsements would continue even after the close of the conference, ensuring sustained momentum for its implementation.

In his closing remarks, Permanent Representative of the Philippines to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Ambassador Teodoro Locsin Jr., stressed that seafarers’ rights must go beyond recognition on paper and be upheld through concrete action, calling on governments, shipowners, and international bodies to ensure their dignity, safety, and well-being.

With the Manila Declaration, the international maritime community signals its commitment to advance human rights at sea, strengthen protections in times of crisis, and secure a safer, fairer, and more compassionate future for seafarers everywhere.

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