THE International Day for Women in Maritime is observed annually on May 18 to recognize women’s contributions and to promote their leadership and participation in the maritime economy. It gives the sector an opportunity to discuss industry challenges and opportunities, encourage greater female involvement, and shape a safer maritime environment for all. It also sheds light on obstacles that have made progress difficult for women in the maritime sector, to initiate measures to make the path smoother and easier to navigate.
To mark the 2026 International Day for Women in Maritime last Monday, May 18, IMO organized an event under the theme “From Policy to Practice: Advancing Gender Equality for Maritime Excellence,” aligning with the World Maritime Day theme “From Policy to Practice: Powering Maritime Excellence.” This is more than a slogan — it is a call to action. Policies open doors, but practice is what walks us through them. Excellence in maritime cannot be achieved if half the sea’s stewards are left unheard.
During the event, held at the IMO Headquarters in London, Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez focused on the contributions of women who are shaping the future of maritime; their vast potential for inclusion, innovation, and equality across the many different areas of work in the maritime world, from deck to boardroom, from ocean scientist to maritime administrator.
As part of the event, IMO led the presentation of the Gender Equality Award 2026 to Professor Momoko Kitada, as decided by the Council at its 135th session. The presentation included the launch of the Handbook on Gender Mainstreaming, authored by Professor Kitada, who teaches at the World Maritime University (WMU).
Dr. Maximo Q. Mejia Jr., WMU president, expressed pride in Professor Kitada’s Gender Equality Award, affirming that gender equality is essential to a sustainable future for the maritime sector.
Leadership is not something new to Filipino women. From pre-colonial Babaylans to modern-day heads of state, and business executives, Filipino women consistently break barriers in government, civil society, and the corporate world. They carry with them the legacy of our foremothers who led not by domination, but by wisdom, courage, and integrity. They healed, they guided, they spoke truth to power, and they did so with a vision of community rather than conquest. Our place has always been “in the struggle” and at the helm of nation-building.
Babaylans were central to the spiritual and social life of pre-colonial Philippine communities. They performed rituals to ensure community well-being, mediated conflicts, and provided guidance on health, agriculture, and social matters. They had a deep understanding of both physical and spiritual health. They were considered the guardians of sacred knowledge and the keepers of ancestral wisdom, often inspiring resistance against colonization and oppression.
With the arrival of Spanish colonizers, the influence of Babaylans was undermined. They were called “monstrous” or were presented as heretical figures, and were suppressed from engaging Indigenous spiritual practices. Despite this repression, Babaylans continued to practice in secret, preserving their traditions and knowledge, which contributed to the resilience of Filipino cultural identity.
Today, the legacy of Babaylans endures in both rural and urban Filipino communities. Modern practitioners often identify as Babaylan-inspired, emphasizing community service, social justice, and cultural reclamation. Their practices continue to influence Filipino spirituality, healing traditions, and cultural activism, serving as a symbol of resilience and connection to ancestral heritage.
Filipino women have always been part of maritime life — from fisherfolk and traders to today’s officers and engineers — and reclaiming the Babaylan spirit is not about nostalgia but about continuity. The theme “From Policy to Practice” becomes a living thread: policy as the framework, practice as the lived Babaylan wisdom.
The recurring multiyear (2023-2028) banner for the Philippine National Women’s Month Celebration (NWMC) is “WE for Gender Equality and Inclusive Society.” For 2026, the subtheme, “Lead like the Babaylans, Filipinas!” reaffirms that women’s leadership is a fundamental part of Filipino identity.
To reclaim the Babaylan spirit in maritime leadership is to remind ourselves that equality is not only about representation, but about transformation. It is about leading with empathy, anchoring decisions in justice, and steering ships — literal and symbolic — toward horizons of solidarity and sustainability.
As the tides shift, many Filipino women rise again as Babaylans of the sea — leaders who do not seek to control, but to care; who do not silence, but to guide; who do not oppress, but to uplift. From policy to practice, from shore to ship, may gender equality be the compass that points us toward maritime excellence.
