Marcos pledges gov't support to enhance maritime industry

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on Tuesday that the government will help improve the country's shipping business and look out for the best interests of all Filipino sailors.

In his message for the Day of the Seafarer 2024, Marcos said that the government will continue to support the country's maritime industry in becoming more modern and ready for the future.

“Let me reiterate the full support of this administration as we strive to reach our goal of having a modern and future-ready maritime industry," Marcos said.

"To help us reach this objective, we recognize the role and efforts of the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) by promoting a highly skilled and competitive maritime workforce as well as adopting an effective and efficient maritime administration governance system,” Marcos added.

The Chief Executive, likewise, lauded MARINA for following international rules and keeping at par with other countries in the maritime sector.

Marcos said the theme for this year is a clear call for the country to share the best ways to make the marine sector a better, safer, and more satisfying place to work for Pinoy seafarers.

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) holds a celebration every year on 25 June called "Day of the Seafarer" to honor the important role that seafarers play in people's daily lives.

The 2010 Diplomatic Conference in Manila passed a motion calling for the revised Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping (STCW) Convention to be put into place.

The resolution's goal is to honor the unique role that seafarers from around the world play in world trade, the economy, and everyday life.

Seafarers keep the economy going, which is an important part of world trade. However, their role isn't always recognized in the maritime business or by the public. 

The government said that Filipino sailors are very important to the shipping business around the world. Nearly a quarter of all sailors in the world are Filipino. Based on figures from March, it said that about 500,000 of them are at sea.