Marcos set to sign landmark law protecting rights of 500,000 Filipino seafarers

MARITIME MEMORIAL Members of the Philippine Coast Guard, together with families and other relatives of seafarers and fisherfolk who perished at sea, make an offering of flowers and prayers during a ceremony at Manila Bay on Sunday marking National Seafarers’ Day and National Maritime Week. —Richard A. Reyes

MANILA, Philippines — President Marcos is set to sign a bill on Monday that will protect the rights and welfare of about 500,000 Filipino seafarers, Senate President Francis Escudero said.

“This law ensures that no Filipino seafarer is neglected when something happens to them while they perform their duty, legally or medically wise,” he said, referring to Senate Bill No. 2221 and House Bill No. 7325, or the Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers.

Escudero, in a statement, stressed the Filipino seafarers are indispensable part of the operations of the international maritime industry, as they represent a quarter of all the officers and crew on board the world’s ships.

READ: Senate ratifies Magna of Filipino Seafarers for the 3rd time

Rights, duties

The law spells out the rights of seafarers that include the right to just terms and conditions of work; right to self-organization and to collective bargaining; right to educational advancement and training at reasonable and affordable costs; right to information; the right to information of a seafarer’s family or next of kin; and the right against discrimination.

It also provides them the right to safe passage and safe travel, consultation, free legal representation, immediate medical attention, access to communication, record of employment or certificate of employment, fair treatment in the event of a maritime accident.

The law also enumerates the duties of a seafarer, such as complying with and observing the terms and conditions of the employment contract and being diligent in the performance of duties relating to the ship.

“Just like an ordinary employee in a company, it is only proper that the rights of a seafarer are clearly and strictly implemented, be it a captain or a deck hand. After all, the problems encountered by our seafarers are more serious as their lives are often times at risk. That is why this law is very important to ensure that they have enough protection,” Escudero said.

Marcos certified the Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers as urgent in September 2023, but its signing was postponed on Feb. 26, and then later the same day came a House of Representatives resolution recalling the bill.

Last month, the Senate minority bloc composed of Senators Aquilino Pimentel III and Risa Hontiveros voted against the ratification of the proposed law apparently because of the inclusion of a provision on execution bond.

Sen. Joel Villanueva, who voted for the ratification of the measure “with a heavy heart,” also expressed strong reservations about the bicameral conference committee report because of the bond provision.

Pimentel said he has “serious misgivings” about the legislative process of the measure as the bicameral conference was conducted and terminated three times resulting in basically three different reports.

“This should not be a precedent,” he said, adding that the procedure was “very unusual.”

Pimentel said the provision on execution bond would mean that decisions in favor of Filipino seafarers cannot be executed until the foreign employer has exhausted all his appeals up to the Supreme Court.

He also warned that should the provision be inserted, adverse decisions against foreign employers of Filipino seafarers will no longer be immediately executory, while local employers of Filipino workers are.