OFW Party List Representative Marissa “Del Mar” Magsino, one of the principal authors of House Bill No. 7325 or the Magna Carta of Seafarers, hails the ratification of the Bicameral Committee Report tonight, signaling the passage of the measure.
“My driving force in pushing for its approval has always been the desire to promote the welfare of Filipino seafarers through a legislation embodying their rights, duties, conditions of employment, and entitlements, including the duties and responsibilities of shipowners and manning agencies, and concerned government agencies. This measure has been discussed then put off, brought back to life then shelved again for the past decades. But finally, Congress has passed the Magna Carta of Filipino seafarers, giving them the recognition and protection they rightly deserve,” said Magsino.
The Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers is the country’s response to our commitment as a signatory to the Maritime Labor Convention and the Convention on the Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping (STCW) for Seafarers. The measure will be transmitted to the Office of the President for his approval and signature.
Magsino also expressed her gratitude to the members of the bicameral conference committee from the House of Representatives: Hon. Marlyn Primicias-Agabas, Hon. Khymer Olaso, Hon. Sandro Gonzalez, and Committee on Overseas Workers Affairs Chairman Ron Salo for their diligence and decisiveness in finetuning the bill. She also thanked the senators who likewise championed the Magna Carta of Seafarers: Hon. Raffy Tulfo, Hon. Imee Marcos, Hon. Risa Hontiveros, Hon. Joel Villanueva and Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero.
The first-term legislator also emphasized the substantial inputs provided by Filipino seafarers and maritime industry stakeholders. Their invaluable contributions have shaped a comprehensive and inclusive policy.
“The OFW Party List strongly believes that our seafarers are integral to the OFW sector, thus it fought to include provisions in the measure that would give the best terms of employment and highest protection of the seafarers’ rights. And this would not have been possible without the substantial inputs of the stakeholders, thus the passage of the Magna Carta of Seafarers is a shared achievement with our seafarers and the maritime industry stakeholders,” Magsino said.
