President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday signed Republic Act 12021, or the Magna Carta of Filipino seafarers, into law to promote the welfare of seamen.

“Today’s signing of the Magna Carta of Filipino seafarers is our collective acknowledgment of their sacrifices,” Marcos said in a speech.

“It is our way of telling our seafarers, ‘We see you, we hear you, and we are here to support you.’” The law was originally decked for the President’s signature months back, but revisions were deemed necessary, thus yesterday’s signing.

The President hoped the new law would uphold the fundamental rights of Filipino seafarers by providing them fair wages, safe working conditions, and skills and competency development.

He underscored the other roles that seafarers play, including as a bridge between nations, as a connector of markets, [and] carrying the Filipino spirit to every corner of the globe.

Marcos also stressed the safety of seafarers not just from dangerous waters but from exploitation and discrimination aboard ships.

“We are also setting up mechanisms so that a Filipino seafarer is not just any other worker but a valued professional whose rights are protected by our laws,” he said.

In the past couple of months, local seafarers have faced danger in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden from attacks by Houthi rebels supporting Palestine’s fight against Israel.

Earlier this year, the Department of Migrant Workers barred seafarers from working for companies whose ships had been attacked by the rebels. It also urged seafarers to practice their “right to refuse sailing” in dangerous waters.

Financial boost

Marcos said the Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers would also help alleviate the financial struggles that seafarers face before sailing.

“By prohibiting the imposition of recruitment, placement, visa and related fees, we hope to alleviate some of the financial struggles that our seafarers have to go through even before they board a vessel to sail in international waters,” he said.

He noted the new law will help the Philippines align with the Standards for Training, Certification and Watchkeeping or STCW, and maritime labor laws.

“By creating a more robust certification process, we ensure that our seafarers are not just compliant but exceptional and equipped to meet the demands of an evolving maritime industry,” Marcos said.

“Clear protocols for grievances and disputes will also be enforced to help resolve issues and concerns of our seafarers,” he added.

The Magna Carta will also strengthen maritime institutions’ standards for quality accommodations, food, medical care and other services that are provided to seafarers.

It will also help seafarers navigate the digitalization, modernization, and automation of maritime vessels.

There are more than 600,000 Filipino seafarers serving both local and international shipping.

Largest supplier

House Speaker Martin Romualdez said the law’s passage would ensure continuous employment for Filipino sailors, who account for significant foreign exchange remittances that keep the economy on a high-growth path.

“With this measure, we hope we can remain to be the largest supplier of seafarers in the world,” the House chief said, noting that the law would also safeguard women sailors against discrimination.

The European Maritime Safety Agency had previously expressed frustration over Filipino seafarers’ non-compliance with some of the standards relating to certification, training, and watchkeeping.

Meanwhile, Bohol Rep. Kristine Tutor, chairperson of the Committee on Civil Service and Professional Regulation, said that after more than 20 years of the bill pending in Congress, seafarers now have what is essentially a labor code for their sector, designed to give them end-to-end protection from the time they enter maritime school to when they retire from their profession.

For her part, OFW Partylist Rep. Marissa Magsino said seafarers can now look forward to greater protection of their rights and welfare, ensuring that their contributions are duly recognized and respected.

“The Magna Carta acknowledges that seafarers are a distinct group of workers, subject to specialized working conditions and international regulations,” said Atty. Iris Baguilat, founding member and trustee of the ALMA Maritime Group.

Recognizing this, Baguilat, also the president of Döhle Seafront Crewing (Manila) Inc., stressed that the law aims to provide comprehensive protection to Filipino seafarers against unfair and abusive practices that specifically target them.

National Seafarers Day will be celebrated on 29 September under Presidential Proclamation 828, series of 1996, issued by the late President Fidel V. Ramos.