President Marcos did not sign the Magna Carta for Filipino Seafarers Act despite this being in the original schedule because the bill is still “under further review,” Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Secretary Cheloy Garafil said on Monday, Feb. 26.
Filipino seafarers (Photos from the Maritime Industry Authority)
The Chief Executive was supposed to sign the law, along with two other bills, but decided to defer the signing of the Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers, which would guarantee the country’s compliance with international maritime rules and regulations.
“Under further review,” Garafil said on the sidelines of the signing of the Republic Act 11981, or the Tatak Pinoy (Proudly Filipino) Act, and RA 11982, or the Expanded Centenarians Act, which grants benefits to octogenarians and nonagenarians.
The Magna Carta for Filipino Seafarers Act has been pending in Congress for more than a decade, but Marcos himself certified it as urgent in September 2023 through a letter addressed to Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri.
“Pursuant to the provisions of the Article VI, Section 26 (2) of the 1987 Constitution, I hereby certify to the necessity of the immediate enactment of Senate Bill No. 2221,” the letter read.
The bill, the PCO said, aims “to address recurring deficiencies in the domestic laws pertaining to the training and accreditation of thousands of Filipino seafarers which endanger their employment in the European market in particular, and the global maritime arena, in general.”
Marcos also said that the legislation is a signal to the international community that the Philippines is ready to comply with its obligations of ensuring that Filipino seafarers’ training, facilities, and equipment are at par with the international standards, as well as those set by relevant international conventions.
The Philippines has committed to ensure that the country would follow the education and training requirements in line with the International Convention on the Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) for Seafarers after an earlier threat that some 50,000 Filipino seafarers could lose their jobs.
During the ceremony, the President also signed the Tatak Pinoy Act and Expanded Centenarians Act to protect the rights and promote the development of Filipino creative minds, as well as provide benefits for octogenarians and nonagenarians.
“Today, it’s my honor to sign into law two bills, which do not only honor two key sectors of society, but mandate measures that protect their rights and promote their development,” Marcos said in his speech during the signing of the two bills at the Ceremonial Hall, Malacañan Palace.
The ceremony was attended by members of both Houses.