Manila, Philippines – 08 August 2025 – Over 30 key stakeholders from the Philippine maritime sector came together for “Overhaul: Roundtable with Philippine Domestic Fleet Operators and Policy Think-Tanks”—a dialogue that signals a critical step toward the co-creation of a national framework and reform manifesto for domestic shipping.
The event was held at Bayview Hotel Manila and organized by the Global Compact Network Philippines (GCNP) under the Ocean Centres Philippines initiative. The Ocean Centres is a long-term initiative hosted by the UN Global Compact and supported by the Lloyd’s Register Foundation, established in seven countries—Brazil, Ghana, Kenya, India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, and the Philippines—to accelerate safety and sustainability across ocean sectors through collaborative action.
Locally, the Ocean Centres is led by GCNP in collaboration with maritime stakeholders, including fleet operators, policy think-tanks, academic institutions, and government agencies. The roundtable brought these voices together to identify systemic challenges, surface innovative solutions, and contribute directly to long-term, evidence-based policy development.
Organizations represented included Archipelago Philippine Ferries Corporation, ICTSI, PEMSEA, Philippine Interisland Shipping Association, De La Salle University, UNESCO-IOC, Philippine Association of Coastal and Inland Water Ferries, Inc., and Project Waypoints, alongside government observers from the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) and the House of Representatives through Hon. Cong. Atty Nathaniel Oducado of 1Tahanan Partylist.
Following a keynote on safety, sustainability, and modernization challenges, participants broke into five working groups focused on:
- Enhancing Maritime Safety: Regulations, Technology, and Human Factors
- Fleet Modernization and Infrastructure for Future-Ready Operations
- Governance: Policy Frameworks, Implementation gaps and Pilot Projects for Sectoral Transformation
- Green Shipping: Environmental Compliance and Sustainable Practices
- Crew Welfare, Training, and Digitalization for Operational Excellence
The working groups presented their recommendations in a plenary session, followed by a synthesis discussion to identify shared priorities and immediate areas for collaboration.
In his Final Message, Cong. Nathaniel Oducado of 1Tahanan Partylist reflected on the insights shared during the roundtable. “I want to focus on what we have. There are so many things that we want but don’t have, yet the ocean is there. We [have] lived by it for centuries, but more importantly, [the Philippines] is among the leading experts in maritime, shipbuilding, and ship repair in the world.”
Cong. Oducado’s advocacy for strengthening the sector is reflected in his authorship of House Bill No. 2598, the Shipbuilding and Ship Repair Development Act, and House Bill No. 2597, the Shipyard Fiscal Incentives Act of 2025, both of which aim to boost the competitiveness and sustainability of the Philippine maritime industry.
The consolidated outputsfrom this event will feed directly into a national framework and reform manifesto for the Philippine maritime sector, with a focus on enhancing safety and promoting sustainable practices within the domestic fleet, especially the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), in its Strategic Deliverables identified during its Mid-Year Performance Assessment and Planning Conference (MYPAPC) held last month.
“This is a foundational step toward a collaborative manifesto that speaks to the realities and ambitions of our domestic maritime sector,” said Engr. Ithan Dollente, Focal Point of Ocean Centres Philippines.
The Ocean Centres Philippines, launched on 10 July 2025, focuses on four key action areas: shipping and ports, fishing and aquaculture, finance and investment, and offshore renewables. These priorities are shaped by local insights to ensure national relevance while contributing to the Ocean Centres’ global vision.
For more information about the Ocean Centres initiative, go to https://www.oceancentres.com/
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Notes to Editors
For further information, please contact:
Trish Estomo
Marketing & Communications Officer
Global Compact Network Philippines
trish.estomo@gcnp.org.ph | https://gcnp.org.ph/
About the Philippine Oceans Centre
The Ocean Centres Philippines is hosted by the Global Compact Network Philippines (GCNP), the country network of the United Nations Global Compact, uniting 65 local participants from top corporations, SMEs, and NGOs to advance responsible business practices.
Ocean Centres Philippines aligns with the global vision of putting safety at the heart of sustainability. As a national platform, it aims to be a central hub for maritime innovation, coordination, and knowledge-sharing.
Across the initiative’s four Action Areas, the Philippines’ priorities are:
- Shipping & Ports
- Fishing & Aquaculture
- Finance & Investment
- Offshore Renewables
The Ocean Centres, Philippines Team
- Edward Gacusana
Institutional Partnership Manager
UN Global Compact Philippines
- Yrhen Bernard Sabanal Balinis
Country Lead
Ocean Centres, Philippines
- Engr. Ithan Jessemar Dollente
Focal Point
Ocean Centres, Philippines
About the UN Global Compact
The ambition of the UN Global Compact is to accelerate and scale the global collective impact of business by upholding the Ten Principles and delivering the SDGs through accountable companies and ecosystems that enable change. With more than 20,000 participating companies, 5 Regional Hubs, 63 Country Networks covering 80 countries and 13 Country Managers establishing Networks in 18 other countries, the UN Global Compact is the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative—one Global Compact uniting business for a better world. For more information, follow @globalcompact on social media and visit our website at unglobalcompact.org.
About Lloyd’s Register Foundation
Lloyd’s Register Foundation is an independent global safety charity that supports research, innovation, and education to make the world a safer place. Its mission is to use the best evidence and insight to help the global community focus on tackling the world’s most pressing safety and risk challenges.
To find out more about Lloyd’s Register Foundation, visit www.lrfoundation.org.uk.