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President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. finally on Monday (Sept 23) signed into law the Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers
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Republic Act No. 12021, or An Act Providing for the Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers, aims to protect the rights and overall welfare of domestic and overseas Filipino seafarers, as well as promote their full employment
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The new law will strengthen the legal framework to ensure that Filipino seafarers receive adequate training, secure contracts, just wages, and fair benefits
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday (September 23) finally signed into law the Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers, which aims to protect the rights and overall welfare of domestic and overseas Filipino seafarers, as well as promote their full employment.
Republic Act (RA) No. 12021, or An Act Providing for the Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers, specifies the rights and ensures the welfare of Filipino seafarers, including the reintegration program, grievance system, and social welfare benefits.
It aims to address recurring deficiencies in the domestic laws pertaining to the training and accreditation of thousands of Filipino seafarers which endanger their employment in the European market in particular, and the global maritime arena, in general.
The law will harmonize policies among agencies such as the Commission on Higher Education, Department of Foreign Affairs, Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), Philippine Coast Guard, Department of Labor and Employment, and Department of Migrant Workers.
MARINA will be mandated to oversee maritime education with powers to accredit, regulate, and monitor education and training institutions offering maritime degree programs and technical courses.
RA No. 12021 also establishes mechanisms, rules, and procedures to ensure the fair, speedy, equitable, and just disposition and execution of decisions granting seafarers’ salaries, wages, statutory benefits, and death and disability claims.
If the seafarer wins an appeal, under the measure, the losing party must immediately reimburse the seafarer’s bond.
The new law is the harmonized version of Senate Bill No. 2221 and House Bill No. 7325, which was approved by both Houses of Congress last July and the enrolled version submitted to the Office of the President last August.
Marcos last February did not sign an earlier version of the bill seeking to provide the Magna Carta for Filipino seafarers, prompting Senate to recall the enrolled copy of the proposed measure. The bicameral conference committee was then reconstituted and the second bicameral conference committee report was approved in May 2024 without the controversial provision on the bond requirement, but then it was withdrawn.
Another bicameral conference committee was reconstituted on July 29 and approved the third report, which was approved and ratified on July 31.
In a speech during the signing ceremony, Marcos said the law is “not just a tribute to our seafarers’ sacrifices” but is also “a call to weave together a future that they can be proud of—one where their voices are heard, their rights are upheld, [and] their families feel the support of a nation that understands the weight of their duty.”
Marcos said at its core, RA 12021 “aims to uphold the fundamental rights of our overseas seafarers: their right to fair wages, safe working conditions, and skills and competency development, amongst others.”
He added the new law will strengthen the legal framework to ensure that Filipino seafarers receive adequate training, secure contracts, just wages, and fair benefits.
“This will seamlessly align with the Standards for Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping or STCW, as well as the accepted global maritime labor laws,” Marcos said, adding that creating a more robust certification process ensures seafarers are not just compliant but exceptional and equipped to meet the demands of an evolving maritime industry.
Further, Marcos said the new measure will strengthen the role of maritime institutions and stakeholders by setting standards for the quality of accommodation, food, medical care, and other services that are provided for seafarers.
RA 12021 is also seen to confront the emerging challenges of modern seafaring, including digitalization and automation.
“As technology reshapes the maritime landscape, the Magna Carta ensures that our seafarers are equipped with skills to navigate the future of the industry,” Marcos said.
The Associated Marine Officers’ and Seamen’s Union of the Philippines in a statement welcomed the signing of RA 12021, saying it is “an important victory for all Filipino seafarers serving onboard both domestic and international vessels, as it seeks to ensure our country’s compliance with the Maritime Labor Convention, 2006 that protects the rights and promotes the welfare of all seafarers and encompasses comprehensive safeguards to uphold their rights to decent, just, and gainful employment.”
House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez also welcomed the signing. “This historic piece of legislation will ensure the protection and continuous employment of our Filipino sailors, most of whom are employed by foreign shipping companies. They will be able to continue to support their families back home,” he said.
“With this measure, we hope we can remain to be the largest supplier of seafarers in the world,” he said.
The Philippines is the largest supplier of seafarers in the world, followed by the Russian Federation, Indonesia, China, and India, according to the Baltic and International Maritime Council and International Chamber of Shipping Seafarer Workforce Report in 2021.
House Deputy Majority Leader and Tingog Party-list Representative Jude Acide, chairperson of the House Committee on Overseas Workers Affairs, said the law sufficiently addresses concerns of foreign employers regarding the education, training and competency of Filipino seafarers.
“We hope our sailors will not face the same threats of being blacklisted made in the past by some shipping companies in Europe due to these concerns,” Acidre said. “Our law conforms with international legislation and standards, which means that foreign companies will mostly likely continue employing our sailors.”
OFW Party-list Rep. Marissa Magsino said the Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers is a “legislative triumph” that would reinforce the Philippine’s position as a leading supplier of maritime labor and bolster the economy through remittances from seafarers.
