Filipino seafarers from Ukraine arrive at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 on March 8, 2022. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News/File

Filipino seafarers arrive at NAIA

Pia Gutierez

ABS-CBN News

<div><span dir="ltr" id="isPasted"></span></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/20220308-filipino-seafarers-ukraine-GC-VU2A5799.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" spellcheck="false" style="text-align:left"><span id="isPasted" style="color:rgb(51, 51, 51);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:pre-wrap;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;display:inline !important;float:none">Filipino seafarers from Ukraine arrive at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 on March 8, 2022. <em>George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News/File</em></span></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — A Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) official on Tuesday said he hopes that the proposed bill which guarantees<span style="color:rgb(65, 65, 65);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;display:inline !important;float:none"> the rights and welfare of Filipino seafarers would be enacted into law as soon as possible.</span></p><p><span style="color:rgb(65, 65, 65);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;display:inline !important;float:none">In a Palace briefing, DFA Undersecretary Eduardo De Vega appealed for the swift passage of</span> the Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers after fresh attacks on the mariners.</p><p style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial">Two Filipino seafarers were killed in a recent attack by Houthi rebels on the bulk carrier MV True Confidence navigating the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. The incident was the first Houthi attack that resulted in fatalities. </p><p style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial">In November last year, <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/news/11/22/23/dfa-17-filipino-seafarers-among-hostages-in-hijacked-ship-in-red-sea"></a><span id="isPasted" style="color:rgb(51, 51, 51);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:pre-wrap;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;display:inline !important;float:none"><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/news/11/22/23/dfa-17-filipino-seafarers-among-hostages-in-hijacked-ship-in-red-sea">17 Filipino seafarers were among the hostages</a></span><span id="isPasted" style="color:rgb(51, 51, 51);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:pre-wrap;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;display:inline !important;float:none"> in a hijacked ship on the Red Sea. They have yet to be released.</span></p><div style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial"><span id="isPasted"><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/01/15/24/dfa-working-on-release-of-seafarers-held-by-houthis-iran" id="isPasted">DFA working on release of seafarers held by Houthis, Iran</a></span></div><div style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial"><span id="isPasted"><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/3/10/marcos-condoles-with-families-of-slain-seafarers-in-houthi-attack-1722" id="isPasted">Marcos condoles with families of slain seafarers in Houthi attack</a></span></div><p style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial">De Vega, however, said that he respects the desire of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and some lawmakers to improve the proposed law.</p><p>Malacañang has explained that the ceremonial signing of the Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers — which was supposed to happen last February — did not push through because the measure still needs further review.</p><p>&quot;We fully respect the president and the legislators’ desire to improve the bill as it is. But we&#x27;d certainly like a law passed,&quot; De Vega said.</p><p>Marcos certified the enactment of the proposed measure as urgent last September 2023 &quot;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.&quot;</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6IS3QDm11Ok?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><style type="text/css" id="isPasted">
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 24.0px Helvetica; color: #161616; -webkit-text-stroke: #161616} span.s1 { font: 24.0px Helvetica; color: #161616; -webkit-text-stroke: #161616} span.s1 {</p><p>DFA Undersecretary Eduardo De Vega however says that they fully respect the desire of the President and some legislators to improve further the proposed legislation which is meant to </p><p> </p><p>Malacanang earlier explained that the ceremonial signing of the Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers which was supposed to happen last February did not push through as the the measure still “needs further review.”</p><p> </p><p>“Any law which will improve the lot of seafarers should be signed as soon as possible. But we fully respect the president and the legislators’ desire to improve the bill as it is. But we’d certainly like a law passed,” De Vega said in a Palace briefing.</p><p> </p><p>“Yes. But not so soon that they forgot whatever they wanted to fix in the first place. Pero sana mapasa right away,” the official continued.</p><p> </p><p>President Ferdinand Marcos Jr earlier certified the enactment of the proposed measure as urgent last September 2023 “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.”</p><p><br/></p><p><br/></p></style>

<p>DFA Undersecretary Eduardo De Vega appealed for the swift passage of the Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers after the fresh attacks on the mariners.</p>

DFA Undersecretary Eduardo De Vega appealed for the swift passage of the Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers after the fresh attacks on the mariners.

DFA official wants swift enactment of seafarers bill after attacks | ABS-CBN

Halalan 2025

Entertainment

News

Metro.Style

Sports

More

Traffic

Horoscope

News

DFA official wants swift enactment of seafarers bill after attacks

DFA official wants swift enactment of seafarers bill after attacks

Pia Gutierez,

ABS-CBN News

Published Mar 12, 2024 02:02 PM PHT

Read More:

seafarers

Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers

Department of Foreign Affairs

Eduardo De Vega

Houthi attack

Red Sea

MV True Confidence

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

AI Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.