Senate, House reconcile conflicting provisions of Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers bill

Conflicting provisions of the Senate and House of Representatives versions of the Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers bill were successfully resolved during a bicameral conference meeting on Wednesday.

Reconciling the two versions of the bill is a "step closer to passing the measure that will institutionalize the rights that will protect seafarers," Senate Committee on Migrant Workers chairperson, Senator Raffy Tulfo, said in the bicam meeting.

Tulfo reiterated that the passage of the proposed MCFS will promote the welfare and continuous employment of seafarers on international vessels. 

The Senate panel members present in the bicam were Senate Majority Floor Leader Joel Villanueva and Senators Francis Escudero, Risa Hontiveros and Imee Marcos.

The House panel was led by House Committee on Overseas Workers Affairs chairman and Kabayan Partylist Rep. Ron Salo, along with OFW Partylist Rep. Marissa Magsino, MARINO Partylist Rep. Sandro Gonzalez, Zamboanga 1st District Rep. Khymer Adan Olaso and Pangasinan 6th District Rep. Marlyn Primicias-Agabas.

Meanwhile, employers of Filipino seafarers, represented by foreign shipowners and local manning agents, and members of the largest seamen's union in the Philippines showed their united support for the MCFS bill which President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. had certified as urgent.

The shipping executives and representatives of the Association of Marine Officers and Seamen's Union of the Philippines voiced their resounding support for the anti-ambulance chasing bill during a courtesy call to Speaker Martin Romualdez at the House of Representatives in Quezon City.

Salo and Rep. Christian Tell Yap, vice chair of the House Committee on Overseas Workers Affairs, joined the group in a photo-op with Romualdez.

Ambulance chasing is the practice of unscrupulous lawyers of seeking compensation for seafarers injured while on duty and exacting exorbitant fees from plaintiffs. The practice detrimentally drains Filipino seafarers and overseas Filipino workers of their hard-earned resources.

Certain labor groups, including the National Association of Trade Unions and the Association of Marine Officers and Ratings or AMOR Seaman, however, have expressed opposition to the escrow provision of the MCFS bill which holds injury claims of seafarers won from employers until the court rules on the appeal from respondents.

Claims lawyers are also lobbying vigorously against key provisions of the bill which tries to safeguard the interests of both seafarers and employers.