Quezon City first district Rep. Juan Carlos Atayde on Monday hailed the signing of the Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers Act, which he said would “bring peace of mind to more than half a million Filipino seafarers and their families and ensure the protection of our Filipino merchant fleet.”
Atayde, one of the authors of the measure, said the new law will protect 578,626 Filipino seafarers, who last year remitted just over 6.8 billion US dollars.
According to the neophyte legislator, the law has many good provisions. The challenge now is to ensure its proper execution, so that our sea-based professionals can maximize its benefits.
He noted that the success of the Magna Carta depends on its enforcement, which was entrusted to implementing agencies such as the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), and the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA).
Atayde said they “must ensure that both local and international employers follow the provisions of the law.” The actor-politician was among the members of the House of Representatives who were invited to witness President Marcos’ ceremonial signing of the law in Malacañang on Monday.
Under the new charter, Filipino seafarers are entitled to the following:
- Right to Self-Organization and to Collective Bargaining;
- Right to Educational Advancement and Training at Reasonable and Affordable Costs;
- Right to Information;
- Right to Information of a Seafarer’s Family or Next of Kin; and
- Right to Free Legal Representation.
The law provides that the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) shall render competent legal services, assistance, and counseling to Filipino seafarers in the event their employers violate any of the provisions stated in the Magna Carta.
One of the key provisions implementing agencies should focus on, Atayde said, is the establishment of Seafarer Welfare Centers and one stop shops for Pinoy seafarers.
The law directs the Overseas Workers Welfare Association (OWWA) to establish seafarer welfare facilities or centers in major crew-change ports, specifically in Metro Manila, Pangasinan, Bulacan, Cavite, Batangas, Iloilo, Cebu, Cagayan de Oro City, Davao City, and other areas to be determined by OWWA.
The facility or center shall offer services, which promote the welfare of, and cater to, the recreational, cultural, religious, communication and legal needs of seafarers.
The law also requires all these centers to have one stop shops for Filipino seafarers, which shall have representatives from government agencies that process or issue licenses, permits, clearances and other documents required by seafarers.
“It is prudent to have this prioritized, so that our seafarers will feel the benefits of the law,” Atayde said. “It is difficult to be a seafarer, so if the government can do something to make their lives easier, let’s do it.”
