Tulfo elated over colleagues' support for Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers

Senator Idol Raffy Tulfo expressed elation over the overwhelming support he received from his colleagues for his call for the swift passage into law of the Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers this 19th Congress.

Tulfo, Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Migrant Workers, said he is happy to receive support both from the Majority and Minority Bloc.

Among those who expressed their vocal support and delivered their co-sponsorship speech include Senate President Migz Zubiri, and Senators Bato dela Rosa, Sonny Angara, Risa Hontiveros, Bong Go, Bong Revilla, Imee Marcos and Win Gatchalian.

Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda, Senate Majority Floor Leader Joel Villanueva and Senator Francis Tolentino also supported the Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers. In his Sponsorship Speech delivered today, May 22, Tulfo, Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Migrant Workers, said the Magna Carta is important to inform seafarers of their rights and duties, promote their continuous employment on board foreign owned vessels and empower government agencies to help them, among others.

"Our seafarers deserve our support and protection. This Magna Carta is a message to our seafarers that we are behind you; a guarantee to the international community that we will comply with the standards set by the relevant conventions; and a command to our government officials to hit the ground running in ensuring that we keep our obligations to these conventions," he said.

Notably, there was a continuous effort throughout the years to push this crucial legislation, but to no avail. In the 18th Congress, the Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers was left pending for Second Reading at the Senate while the bill's counterpart measure has already hurdled third reading at the House of Representatives.

Tulfo, who has been defending seafarers' rights for decades already, filed Senate Bill (SB) No. 216 instituting the Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers as part of his 10 priority bills this 19th Congress. Aside from Tulfo, 13 other senators filed versions of the Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers this 19th Congress.

Notably, 25% of the world's seafarers are Filipinos, as 489,852 Filipino seafarers were deployed in 2022.

Seafarers also play a big role in the country's economy. In 2019 alone, it was estimated that 519,031 deployed Filipino seafarers remitted 6.5 billion US Dollars to the Philippines. This is practically 1.7% of the country's GDP that year.

As such, Tulfo underscored the need for a Magna Carta to ensure retention of the Filipino seafarer in the global shipping industry because ships have been hiring more seamen from Vietnam, Myanmar, Africa, and China instead of Filipinos in the recent years.

He said measures must be formulated to address key manpower issues, through promotion of careers at sea, enhancement of maritime education and training worldwide, thus addressing the retention of seafarers.

Tulfo masaya sa suporta ng kasamahan sa Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers

Masaya si Sen. Idol Raffy Tulfo sa pinakitang suporta ng mga kasamahan niya sa Senado para sa panukalang batas na Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers, na hindi pumasa sa mga nakaraang Kongreso.

Sinabi ni Tulfo, Chairperson ng Senate Committee on Migrant Workers, na masaya siyang makatanggap ng suporta mula sa Majority at Minority Bloc.

Ang mga nagpahayag ng suporta sa kanya at nagdeliver ng co-sponsorship speech ay sina Senate President Migz Zubiri, at Senators Bato dela Rosa, Sonny Angara, Risa Hontiveros, Bong Go, Bong Revilla, Imee Marcos at Win Gatchalian.

Suportado din siya nina Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda, Senate Majority Floor Leader Joel Villanueva at Senator Francis Tolentino.

Sa kanyang Sponsorship Speech ngayong araw, Mayo 22, sinabi ni Tulfo na ang Magna Carta ay mahalaga upang ipaalam sa mga marino ang kanilang mga karapatan at tungkulin, itaguyod ang kanilang patuloy na pagtatrabaho sa mga dayuhang sasakyang-dagat at bigyan ng kapangyarihan ang mga ahensya ng gobyerno na tulungan sila.

"Our seafarers deserve our support and protection. This Magna Carta is a message to our seafarers that we are behind you; a guarantee to the international community that we will comply with the standards set by the relevant conventions; and a command to our government officials to hit the ground running in ensuring that we keep our obligations to these conventions," saad niya.

Sa 18th Congress, ang Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers ay naiwang nakabinbin para sa Second Reading sa Senado habang ang counterpart measure ng panukalang batas na ito ay umabot na sa ikatlong pagbasa sa House of Representatives.

Hinain ni Tulfo ang Senate Bill (SB) No. 216 o Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers bilang bahagi ng kanyang 10 priority bills ngayong 19th Congress. Bukod kay Tulfo, 13 pang senador ang naghain ng mga bersyon ng Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers nitong 19th Congress.