The Department of Migrant Workers on Friday honored Filipino seafarers, including industry partners such as manning agencies, ship owners, and seafarers’ associations, as the country celebrates World Maritime Week.

During the “Alay sa Marinong Pilipino” held at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City, Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac highlighted the Filipino seafarer’s skills, dedication, and resilience that make them one of the most sought-after in the shipping industry.

“Your hard work powers the global economy delivering goods to every corner of the globe often under the most challenging conditions. So, this event for today is not just a celebration for seafarers but also for everyone, industry partners, kasi nga (because it’s) World Maritime Week, World Maritime Day at lahat tayo (and all of us) are encompassed by this particular milestone,” he said.

Cacdac noted that Filipino seafarers represent 25 percent of the global maritime workforce, which reached an all-time high of 578,626 seafarers deployed in 2023, surpassing even the pre-pandemic numbers.

“This is a testament to the vital role that our seafarers play not only in contributing to the local economy but also in ensuring the continuous flow of global trade and securing maritime safety,” he said.

Timely signing of Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers

Cacdac also highlighted the timely signing of the Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. last Monday.

“The Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers is very relevant in today’s age, because many seafarers face cases, many of them unjustly fined abroad. The Magna Carta also fosters closer cooperation with maritime training centers and manning agencies,” he said.

Cacdac explained the importance of the Magna Carta in terms of ensuring that Filipino seafarers are properly recruited, that labor standards are in place to ensure that contracts are just, wages are commensurate, and other benefits among others.

The new law has 17 provisions securing the rights of seafarers such as self-organization and collective bargaining, just terms and conditions of work, training programs at a reasonable and affordable cost, safe passage and travel, and fair medical assessment.

Other rights listed are information about a seafarer’s family or next of kin, free legal representation, appropriate grievance mechanisms, protection against all harassment and bullying, and others.

Cacdac said that currently, the DMW is already in talks with relevant government agencies and stakeholders for the drafting of the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR), which he said, would be ready by December.

Better protection, more opportunities

Filipino seafarers and maritime industry stakeholders who attended the event expressed satisfaction on the signing of the Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers by President Marcos, which they said, would give them better protection and more opportunities.

“Napakaganda nito para sa mga seafarers (It is very good for the seafarers),” said Captain Juanito Salvatierra Jr., president of the International Maritime Association of the Philippines (Intermap), which is composed of ship managers, ship owners, and manning agencies.

“The manning industry has been proposing this for 10 years already, pero hindi naisulong. Kami ay nasisiyahan at last ito ay naipasa na at napirmahan ni Pres. Bongbong Marcos (but it did not advance. We are happy that finally, it has been passed and signed by President Bongbong Marcos),” he said.

Mary Grace Alfaras, who has been working on a cruise ship for the last seven years, expressed hopes about the Magna Carta.

“Maganda kasi nakakadagdag siya ng mas maraming opportunities at suporta para sa mga seafarer na tulad ko. Malaking tulong ito sa mga seafarers (It’s good because it provides more opportunities and support for seafarers like me. It is a great help to seafarers),” she said.

She hoped the Magna Carta would afford more privileges and protection to women seafarers, especially for mothers like her.

Karen Avelino of the Philippine Transmarine Carriers (PTC) said the new law would benefit around 84,000 seafarers they have deployed in various parts of the world.

As part of a manning agency, she said that they would often receive complaints from their deployed seafarers.

“As soon as we get a complaint, we respond agad, hindi pwedeng patagalin dahil mas mag escalate pa yan kaya agad agad ni re-resolve (we respond immediately, it cannot be delayed because it will escalate, so it has to be resolved right away),” she said.

With the Magna Carta, she hopes that provisions will be in place for issues like ambulance-chasing, and re-skilling and upskilling of competencies of Filipino seafarers, and even the maritime education as a whole. (PNA)