PASAY CITY -- Senator Christopher “Bong” Go expressed support for Committee Report No. 289 of Senate Bill No. 2369 which recognizes the rights and contributions of the country’s seafarers and will afford them the protection they need before, during and after their employment.
In a co-sponsorship speech delivered at the Senate Session on Wednesday, September 1, Go reaffirmed his commitment to their welfare and recognized the passage of the Magna Carta for Seafarers as a means of improving the government’s efforts to protect their rights and promote their interests.
“I have always promised that I will fight for the rights and interests of our seafarers and their families … this administration, through the Maritime Industry Authority under the Department of Transportation, has been working hard to provide concrete plans of action to ensure that they are looked after, especially in these difficult and challenging times,” said Go.
On this note, Go also expressed his intent to be made a co-author of the bill.
The Senator, who heads the Senate Committee on Health, previously successfully appealed to the government to include overseas workers, including seafarers, in the A4 priority list for COVID-19 vaccination rollout. President Rodrigo Duterte likewise approved his subsequent recommendation to allocate specific brands of vaccines that are acceptable in their countries of destination or ports of entry.
“I have been relentless in pursuing the interests and welfare of the (overseas Filipino workers) during the pandemic, including seafarers. I earlier appealed to concerned officials that seafarers and OFWs be included in the vaccination priority category given the nature of their work,” continued Go.
“I also appealed to consider the requirements needed for them to resume their work abroad, such as the need to be inoculated with vaccines that are acceptable in their countries of destination, as well as the necessary documentation to prove that they have been vaccinated,” he added.
Go expressed concern for the plight of more than ten million overseas Filipinos, including seafarers, and their families amid the pandemic as well as other crisis situations happening around the world. He vowed that the Senate would ensure their rights are recognized and respected in their host countries during these difficult times.
“Higit kumulang sampung porsyento ng ating populasyon ang nasa abroad. Mahirap mawalay sa sariling bayan para lang buhayin ang pamilya at mabigyan ng mas magandang kinabukasan ang inyong mga anak. Bilang mambabatas, gagawin namin ang lahat upang maipaglaban ang inyong kapakanan,” pledged Go.
“Itong panukalang batas na ito ang isa sa mga pinakamahalagang hakbang para masiguro na tututukan ng gobyerno ang kapakanan ninyo. Hindi nababayaran ang lungkot, lalong-lalo na kung napapalayo sa mahal sa buhay,” he continued.
The Magna Carta codifies the rights of the seafarers into a single reference law, including their right to just terms and conditions of work, self-organization, educational advancement and training, information and consultation, fair treatment in the event of an accident, and against discrimination.
It also provides standard terms and conditions of employment for seafarers, including provisions related to wages, hours of work and rest, leaves, and social welfare benefits. It likewise mandates ship owners to provide medical care, both on-board and ashore, as well as a financial security system to assist our seafarers in case of injuries.
The measure also addresses issues relating to repatriation and reintegration, and defines the roles of the seafarer, ship owner, and the government in these endeavors.
Most importantly, the Magna Carta assures seafarers that the concerned agencies will work together to promote their welfare and protect their rights, specifically the Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Health, Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, Maritime Industry Authority, and the Philippine Coast Guard.
“This bill, together with the proposed Department of Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos, represent the government’s commitment to our overseas Filipinos who toil in foreign lands and seas. It is high time that we recognize their value to our society and provide them the support and protection that they deserve,” said Go.
The Senator is currently pushing for the passage of SBN 2234 which establishes the Department of Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos. The measure, filed in May 2021, was certified as urgent by the President and is co-sponsored by Go in the Senate. It is a consolidated version of his earlier proposed measure that aims to create the Department of Overseas Filipinos. (OSBG)
