Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos presided over the signing of the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) for the Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers Act on Wednesday.
Department of Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac and Maritime Industry Authority Administrator Sonia Malaluan signed the document at a special ceremony.
Marcos said government officials had laboured extensively to finalise the regulations.
“I know the grind that both of you went through to get us to this point and maybe the others don’t know of the many last-minute adjustments. But I am as happy as anyone that we have the IRR. We can now implement all the provisions in the Magna Carta for our Seafarers. It is a very important day,” Marcos said.
It took officials three months to draft the IRR, which included consultation with government agencies, maritime industry stakeholders, training institutions, non-governmental organisations, and civil society groups.
Implementation of the IRR, which contains 22 rules, comes almost four months after Marcos signed the Magna Carta into law in September last year. The signing of the bill had been repeatedly delayed due to controversy over its provisions for legal cases involving seafarers and maritime training. The IRR outlines the framework to give effect to the Magna Carta.
Among the features of the IRR is the establishment of one-stop-shop centres for seafarers to simplify processes and eliminate bureaucratic hurdles.
“The Magna Carta and IRR guarantee fair medical treatment and access to free legal representation, ensuring that during moments of vulnerability, whether due to illness, injury or legal challenges, our seafarers will have the support and protection from government,” Marcos said.
“It also envisions a competitive maritime workforce by enhancing access to advanced training and requiring maritime education institutions to adopt cutting-edge facilities. We are equipping our seafarers and cadets to compete in the global arena.”
Marcos called on his government’s various departments and agencies “to ensure the immediate issuance of all remaining guidelines” relative to the implementation of the law, and for the monitoring of the maritime sector to ensure “strict compliance by all stakeholders” so that seafarers could maximise its benefits.
“Let us ensure that every provision of this law and its IRR are not just words that appear on paper but a bulwark that our seafarers can rely on,” said Marcos.
