DMW, Maritime Leaders Affirm Commitment to Magna Carta for Filipino Seafarers

The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), together with key government agencies and maritime stakeholders, has pledged unwavering support for the protection and welfare of Filipino seafarers under the Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers and its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR). 

Signed into law by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., the Magna Carta guarantees fair wages, safe working conditions, and skills development for Filipino seafarers. In a ceremonial signing led by DMW Undersecretary Felicitas Q. Bay, partners reaffirmed their shared responsibility in upholding seafarers’ rights and dignity. 

“By committing to this pledge today, we reinforce our responsibility as a nation to support and protect the backbone of our maritime industry,” said Undersecretary Bay, highlighting the importance of a secure, just, and growth-oriented environment for seafarers. 

Participants included maritime groups such as Internship Crew Philippines, Magsaysay Inc., Philippine Transmarine Corporation, Joint Manning Group, ALMA Maritime Group, as well as institutions like Philippine Merchant Marine Academy (PMMA), National Maritime Polytechnic (NMP), Maritime Academy of Asia and the Pacific (MAAP), Associated Marine Officers’ and Seamen’s Union of the Philippines (AMOSUP) and Mariners and Allied Transport Employees Union (MATEU). 

Government agencies present were the Department of Transportation (DOTr), Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Office of the Solicitor General (OSG), Department of Health (DOH), Social Security System (SSS), Public Attorney’s Office (PAO), the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), and the Presidential Human Rights Committee. 

The ceremony marked a unified commitment to turn the Magna Carta from policy into meaningful protection for seafarers, underscoring their vital role in global and national trade.