CO-SPONSORSHIP SPEECH OF SENATOR RISA HONTIVEROS ON MAGNA CARTA OF SEAFARERS
September 01, 2021

Mr. President, there are over 300,000 Filipino seafarers on international ocean-going vessels. Wala pa man pandemya, hirap at hamon na ang kanilang kinakaharap sa karagatan. Malalayo sa pamilya, minsan kulang kulang sa benepisyo, hindi sapat ang mga legal na proteksyon, unsafe ang mga working conditions, excessive fee collection, corruption and red tape, at madami ay nabibiktima ng illegal recruiter at human traffickers.

Lalong lumala ang kanilang kalagayan ngayong pandemya. Wala na halos mga cruise ship na bumabyahe at andaming mga kababayan nating mga Marino ang nawalan ng trabaho at nagigipit. Marami din sa kanila na nagkakasakit ng COVID-19, at kapos ang health benefits at social protections.

That is why this bill could not have come finally at a more urgent time. A Magna Carta of Seafarers will grant our seafarers the right to a safe and secure workplace compliant with decent working standards, fair terms and conductions of employment, ensure their right to repatriation, capacitate them with skills and education.

As Chair of the Committee on Women, I also wish to particularly highlight our women seafarers. Siguro pag iniisip natin ang marino, iniisip natin ay lalaki, but in truth, we have many women seafarers. Sexual harassment and abuse are persistent issues faced by these women seafarers, and I hope that as we craft this landmark legislative measure, we also turn a shining light on their concerns and needs.

Mr. President, noong nakaraang taon lang, nakameeting ko po ang ilang mga grupo ng Marino - babae at lalaki -- at hanga ako sa kanilang determinasyon at pagpupursigi, sa kabila ng hamon na kinakaharap ng kanilang industriya. Hanga din ako na sila-sila ay nagtutulungan at nagsusuportahan sa isa't isa, gumagawa ng diskarte para mabuhay hindi lang ang sarili kundi ang mga kasama. I remember thinking that the image of the Filipino seafarer is an apt metaphor of the Filipino in the middle of crisis and hardship: buffeted mercilessly by the waves, far from shore, but still standing proud and tall, willing to help those in greater need.

If the Sponsor so agrees, I wish to be made co-sponsor of this measure.