Transforming the Tide: Celebrating the Contributions of Women in Maritime Governance
MANILA 22 May 2025 — The Department of Foreign Affairs joins the international community in commemorating the International Day for Women in Maritime on 18 May 2025, which has been designated as such by the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
Under the theme “An Ocean of Opportunities for Women”, this year’s commemoration highlights the importance of women’s leadership and significant contributions in transforming the maritime sector and ocean industries, including through national policy development and legislative implementation.
In this regard, the Department of Foreign Affairs highlights threea women maritime leaders, who have parted the sea and steered the way for women to take hold of opportunities in the maritime sector.
1. Maria Angela A. Ponce, Philippine Ambassador to Malaysia
Ambassador Maria Angela A. Ponce, the current Philippine Ambassador to Malaysia, holds the distinction of being the first woman ambassador to the country. She is a distinguished diplomat with over two decades of experience and was the recipient of the prestigious Gawad Mabini award with the rank of Dakilang Kamanong (Grand Cross), conferred by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on 5 July 2024.
A lawyer by training, Ambassador Ponce previously held the position of Assistant Secretary for the Maritime and Ocean Affairs Office (MOAO), where she helmed fresh initiatives such as the establishment of new bilateral maritime dialogues with key partners that are still held to this day, as well as coordinated public diplomacy activities to promote the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award through Philippine foreign service posts in collaboration with other government agencies. She launched the “Not One Inch” microsite, which is a publicly-accessible resource for information materials on UNCLOS and the 2016 Arbitral Award. She was also the lead Philippine negotiator for the Agreement for the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement), which is the third implementing agreement under the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
2. Maria Elena Cristina D. Maningat, Deputy Assistant Secretary, DFA
Deputy Assistant Secretary Maria Elena Cristina D. Maningat, who is the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the DFA Maritime and Ocean Affairs Office and soon to become the Deputy Philippine Permanent Representative to ASEAN, is a true example of a dedicated and inspiring woman in the maritime sector.
In her work on maritime security, she demonstrated able diplomatic skill to assert the Philippines’ rights and entitlements in the West Philippine Sea in regional and international fora.
Her long diplomatic experience enabled her to contribute significantly to the legislative process that saw the eventual enactment of the Philippine Maritime Zones Act (RA 12064) and Philippine Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act (RA 12065). Her expertise will continue to be tapped in her new role as she promotes Philippine interests in the ASEAN framework.
3. Atty. Fretti G. Ganchoon, Senior State Counsel, DOJ
Senior State Counsel Fretti G. Ganchoon is currently a Senior State Counsel at the Department of Justice. She is a pillar in the Philippines’ efforts to promote adherence to international law, particularly the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and has been designated as the DOJ’s lead attorney for maritime matters.
She contributed to the Philippine legal team that carefully assessed the filing of the South China Sea arbitration case in 2013, which ultimately yielded the landmark 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award. She remains highly involved in addressing issues related to developments in the West Philippine Sea.
She has been a distinguished scholar of the International Maritime Organization - International Maritime Law Institute (IMLI), and was most recently recognized through the Australia Ambassador’s Award for Maritime Excellence for her work as a maritime trailblazer and expert in the law of the sea.
These three women serve as inspiring examples of how true leadership and skill transcends gender, helping to surmount barriers and stereotypes in the maritime sector, and paving the way for their important contributions to the country’s efforts in maritime security, ocean governance and marine environmental protection and conservation.
The DFA invites everyone to honor all women, including our seafarers, whose contributions have propelled the growth of the maritime industry, while showcasing the Philippines as a premier example for gender equality and empowerment in ocean governance. END