THE Philippines called for stronger maritime security and greater international cooperation to safeguard critical maritime infrastructure, arguing that threats to seafarers and commercial shipping have become direct threats to global trade, supply chains and human security.
Addressing the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Foreign Affairs Secretary Maria Teresa Lazaro underscored the contribution of migrant workers and seafarers to the global economy while calling for stronger protection of their rights and welfare.
Lazaro noted that nearly 90 percent of world trade is transported by sea and supported by close to two million seafarers worldwide, more than 25 percent of whom are Filipinos.
‘They are essential workers, yet increasingly vulnerable to conflict and attacks at sea,’ Lazaro said, citing a recent incident in the Strait of Hormuz that claimed the lives of Filipino seafarers and injured others.
‘Their tragedy reminds us that maritime security is human security,’ she added.
The Philippines has become increasingly vocal on maritime security as Filipino seafarers continue to bear the human cost of conflicts in some of the world’s most critical shipping routes.
Across the Red Sea, Strait of Hormuz and Black Sea, at least nine Filipino seafarers have been killed in recent maritime security incidents linked to armed conflicts and geopolitical tensions, government reports indicate.
Lazaro said that for the Philippines, an archipelagic and maritime nation, the safety of ships and seafarers cannot be separated from supply chains and global commerce.
‘Open and secure seas, free from interference and coercion, are vital to our security, our economy and our people,’ she said.
Lazaro reaffirmed the Philippines’ commitment to international law, describing the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos) as the ‘constitution of the oceans.’
She noted that 2026 marks a decade since the landmark 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award, which remains final and legally binding and demonstrates how international law provides peaceful means for states to clarify rights and settle disputes.
‘The Philippines stands firm in its conviction that disputes must be resolved through diplomacy and law, not violence and might,’ Lazaro said.
She also called for efforts to protect maritime security to extend beyond shipping lanes to critical maritime infrastructure, including undersea cables, strategic sea lanes, ports and offshore facilities that underpin global trade and connectivity.
Rather than waiting for threats to emerge, states should work toward a framework anchored on Unclos that establishes clear rules, rights and obligations governing critical maritime infrastructure, she said.
The proposal comes amid growing concerns over attacks on commercial vessels and the vulnerability of maritime infrastructure crucial to global commerce, energy flows and digital communications.