Press Release July 9, 2013 JINGGOY FILES FILIPINO SEAFARERS' 'BILL OF RIGHTS' Acting Senate President Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada is pushing for the passage of the Magna Carta for Filipino Seafarers which will give flesh to the minimum standards and welfare mechanisms set forth by the Maritime Labor Convention, 2006. Sen. Estrada served as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Labor, Employment and Human Resources Development and co-sponsored the concurrence of the Senate on the ratification of the Maritime Labor Convention of the International Labor Organization (ILO). Senate Resolution 118 (Resolution Concurring in the Ratification of MLC, 2006) was adopted last August 13, 2012. The Philippines was the 30th country to ratify the convention, which enables the same to come into force a year thereafter. In filing Senate Bill 21 as one of his priority measures, Sen. Estrada says in its explanatory note, "The draft Magna Carta for Seafarers seeks to ensure protection of the rights and welfare of overseas Filipino seafarers and their families. Specifically, it seeks to recognize the rights of Filipino seafarers, institute mechanisms for the enforcement and protection thereof, provide compulsory benefits and implement standards set by the MLC, 2006." The proposed measure defines the fundamental rights to safe and secure workplace and fair terms of employment as prescribed by the MLC. To wit, Senate Bill 21 provides the following:
According to ILO, there are more than 1.2 million seafarers worldwide and Filipino seafarers make up 30% of the global shipping fleet. Philippines, on the other hand, has 40,000 local seafarers manning domestic ships navigating the Philippine waters for purposes of commerce, transportation and trade. |
Thursday, April 18
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