Senate Concurs to Five IMO Conventions and Two FAO Agreements

Senator Loren Legarda, Chair of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, delivers her sponsorship speech for the five IMO Conventions and two FAO Agreements during the Senate Plenary on 26 February 2018.

09 March 2018 MANILA — The Department of Foreign Affairs announced on 05 March that the Senate has concurred to the accession by the Philippines to five Conventions of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) on marine environmental protection, navigational safety and safety of seafarers and to two FAO Agreements to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.  

In her sponsorship speech, Senator Loren Legarda, Chair of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, highlighted the importance for the Philippines to become a Party to the Agreements which support the implementation of UN Sustainable Development Goals through the protection of the marine environment, addressing climate change and promotion of safe navigation and sustainable fishing practices.

With 19 senators voting in favor, the Senate unanimously approved on third reading, a Resolution concurring with the Philippines’ accession to the following Agreements: Anti-Fouling Systems Convention 2001; Protocol of 1997 to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships,1973 as modified by the Protocol of 1978; Protocols of 1978 and 1988 to the Safety of Life at Sea Convention 1974; Protocol of 1988 to the Load Line Convention 1966; FAO Compliance Agreement and Agreement on Port State Measures to Combat Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing.

The Senate’s concurrence was made possible through the strong representation of Senator Legarda with substantive support from the DFA, Philippine Permanent Representative to the IMO, MARINA, PCG, BFAR and other agencies. The DFA will deposit the Instruments of Ratification to the IMO and the FAO. END

Ambassador Gilberto Asuque, Philippine Permanent Representative to the IMO and MARINA officials brief Ms. P. Suharni Samanodi-Candao, Legislative Secretary of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, on technical matters related to the IMO Conventions.