President Marcos Signs Magna Carta of the Filipino Seafarers Act into Law, Safeguarding Jobs and Maritime Standards
Seven months after calling it an urgent priority, President Marcos has officially signed the Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers Act into law. Republic Act No. 12021 aims to protect the livelihoods of over 50,000 Filipino seafarers who nearly lost their jobs due to failing European maritime standards. This landmark law now provides stronger protections and ensures compliance with international regulations, safeguarding the future of Filipino seafarers in the global shipping industry.
The recently passed legislation is seen by those involved in the marine sector as an essential addition to efforts to enhance sailors' working conditions and training.
RA 12021 "will seamlessly align with the Standards for Training, Certification and Watchkeeping or STCW, [set by the European Maritime Safety Agency or Emsa] as well as the accepted global maritime labor laws," Marcos stated in a speech during the signing of the enrolled versions of Senate Bill No. 2221 and House Bill No. 7325.
According to him, the new law would support the development of marine organizations, guarantee sufficient training, reasonable pay, and equitable benefits for seafarers, and act as a safeguard against discrimination and exploitation.
For nearly twenty years, the Philippines has been in violation of the 1978 International Convention on the Safety of Seafarers (STCW). This has led to thirteen workforce deficiencies and 23 complaints against Filipino seafarers. Emsa discovered inconsistent instruction and evaluation practices, a deficiency of training supplies, and Philippine maritime institutions that were not in compliance with the STCW Convention in 2020. President Marcos responded by giving government organizations instructions to create a strategy to fix the issues highlighted in Emsa's report.
The EU acknowledged Filipino seafarers' certifications by March 2023, but 15 maritime programs in the nation were closed as a result of noncompliance. To solve shortcomings in the nation's maritime education, the Commission on Higher Education and Marina created an improved curriculum. The Magna Carta seeks to reward Filipino sailors for their commitment and hard labor by providing them with fair compensation.