Published in its print edition on September 21 – 27, 2024

A bit of good news for seafarers has been known as President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday finally signed into law Republic Act No. 12021 or the Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers Act, about seven months after he had returned to Congress this priority measure for its further refinement by Congress.

The law will be of big help to more than 50,000 Filipino seafarers working in European vessels who almost lost their jobs because of their repeated failure to pass the standards set by European maritime authorities.

That is why Mr. Marcos certified the measure as urgent last year but was seemingly got a roughshod among the legislators.

The good thing is the enacted law would be a vital complement to helping improve the training of seafarers as well as their working conditions within the maritime industry.

Televised programs show that the President, in his speech during the signing of the enrolled version of Senate Bill No. 2221 and House Bill No. 7325, described RA 12021 as an enabling law to “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.”

With proper implementation, the new law would help strengthen maritime institutions. This will ensure adequate training, just wages, and fair benefits for seafarers, and serve as the legal framework against their exploitation and discrimination among the seafarers’ ranks.

It is better late than never to enact this law at all.#