ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR III
The Filipino Seafarer is famous for its strong work ethic, quick reflexes, dedication fluency of the English Language, flexibility and yes, loyalty. Seafarers bring in much needed dollar reserves and help the family get by, and is a undoubtedly a permanent fixture of economic stability in the home and the country as well.
At some point , these traits of greatness are exploited by ship owners because they knew we need the job. In 2007 the official tally of deployed Filipino Seafarer was 266,533 , now more than a decade and a half the figure maybe close to half a million seafarers are deployed worldwide.
Seafarers4 Safety, an international website advocating safety for seamen attributes to the reality that Filipinos are naturally seafarers having a very long coastline. Philippines has vast coast line of 36,289 km, that is more than USA (19,924 km), UK (12,429 km), China (14,500 km), France (4,668 km) except Russia (37,653 km) which is almost equal. As the Philippine archipelago is made up of 7,107 islands, Filipinos have natural mariner’s instincts and always work cheerfully despite their months of separation from their families. They never show that they are homesick. While on shore leave, instead of going to the nearest bars to waste their earnings, they prefer to spend their time more at Internet cafes, writing e-mails or chatting online with their loved ones in the Philippines.
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Monday signed into law the Magna Carta of Seafarers, aiming to protect the rights of domestic and overseas Filipinos.
Marcos signed Republic Act (RA) No. 12021 or “An Act Providing for the Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers” during a ceremony at the Malacañan Palace.
It is a great day for Filipino Seafarers and a great day to the seaman in the family . Certainly there is one or two of the amiable young boys who are now breadwinners and dodging the waves and homesickness, sacrificing their life, limb and enduring the absence.
It’s a great day for these young men, fathers and backbone of an economy like ours . It’s a great day to finally see the law passed, signed and achieved its reality!
