Starting Point
Ms. Johaira Wahab-Manantan is a lawyer and a career diplomat. She earned her Bachelor's Degree with great honour (magna cum laude) and her Juris Doctor Degree from the University of the Philippines. She completed her Master of Laws (LL.M.) in National Security Law (with distinction) at Georgetown University as a Fulbright Scholar. In December 2023, she was one of the foreign service executives whose appointment was approved by the Commission on Appointments.
Peace Journey
Before her diplomatic career, she led the legal team for the Philippine government during peace negotiations with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. These negotiations culminated in a peace agreement establishing a new autonomous region in Mindanao.
As a diplomat, she served at the Philippine Embassy in Malaysia and currently focuses on climate and environmental security in multilateral contexts. Her research interests primarily lie in international law, particularly in the areas of human rights, self-determination, autonomy, counterterrorism, the use of force, territorial integrity, and maritime security.
She is also an active academic. She has published articles on fiscal autonomy in peace agreements, the use of force against non-state actors, and the connections between diplomacy and international law. Additionally, she authored a book chapter detailing the constitutional foundations for peace negotiations, peace agreements, and autonomy in Philippine law.
In her capacity, she participated in the Governance Expanded Network for Innovation and Education (GENIE) programme to explore international cooperation in marine environmental protection in the Sulu-Sulawesi area.
Success Stories
Ms. Wahab-Manantan’s story exemplifies significant contributions to peace negotiations. At the young age of 25, she became the head of the legal team for the Government Peace Panel when the talks resumed in 2010. Before this position, she actively participated in civil society advocacy, making recommendations to the government on legal matters related to the Agreement on Ancestral Domain.
One of her key contributions to the dialogue was her advocacy for women’s right to meaningful political participation. Her assertions were pivotal during the negotiation of the Decision Points on Principles, and the intense discussions ultimately culminated in the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) in March 2014, as well as the inclusion of women in the negotiations.