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A GOVERNMENT CONCERNS SAYS TUCP ON SEAFARERS
TUCP: ASSISTANCE TO SEAFARERS MUST BE PRIORITIZED BY THE GOVERNMENT AS AN ESSENTIAL JOB
By: Ver M. Garcia (News Editor)
Rep. Raymond Mendoza, Chairman of the House Committee on Overseas Workers Affairs
(HCOWA). Echoed his voice with members of TUCP and said that the government should prioritize in giving the needed assistance to the seafarers in times of emergency like the resurgence of Covid19.
"This will save jobs of dollar-earning Filipino Seafarers and secure our niche as the preferred crew of most international shipping lines." avers Mendoza.
"The Philippine government is assuring that Cabin crew changes set for June 15
involving 50,000 Filipinos will take place and that Filipino seafarers will be able to
board their ships on time," said TUCP Partylist Rep. Raymond Mendoza, Chairman of the
House Committee on Overseas Workers Affairs (HCOWA). "This will save the jobs of
dollar-earning Filipino Seafarers and secure our niche as the preferred crew of most
International shipping lines."
In a hearing of the HCOWA recently, the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA)
chaired by Vice-Admiral (Ret.) Robert Empedrad classified all seafarers as "key
workers." This was supported by IATF resolution number 14 and the IATF Omnibus
Guidelines on the Implementation of Community Quarantine in the Philippines. These
along with a MARINA board resolution recognizing the essential work of seafarers
directs all government agencies to fast-track their processing and deployment. MARINA
chair Empedrad stated that this classification would allow for the facilitation of the
deployment of seafarers, to speed up their departure from the Philippines.
"This is both timely and critical as it will ensure that our 400,000-strong Filipino
seafarers will not lose their jobs to Eastern Europeans, Vietnamese, Myanmar citizens,
or Indians. Many seafarers were repatriated at the beginning of the pandemic, with
their contracts left unfulfilled and it has caused many of these workers distress. Besides
worrying about the health impacts of COVID-19, they also faced the possibility of losing
their jobs to seafarers whose governments had immediately provided assistance in
processing deployment.
With quarantine procedures worldwide, and local lockdowns including travel and LGU
transit restrictions from their domicile to Manila to board flights onwards to their ships
in place, thousands of Filipino workers with decent-paying jobs are at risk of not
boarding their ships on time. Conversely, seafarers returning home, should except for
necessary testing for COVID-19, be allowed to proceed to their domicile unimpeded,
unlike under the current situation where thousands are stranded for months, " said
Mendoza. "As it is now, the delay in processing repatriated workers has already led
them to spend their time in the country toiling under quarantine before their
redeployment, instead of being able to spend this precious time with their families and
loved ones.
(Photos by Teddy Cho)
The International Maritime Organization to which the Philippine Government is a
member, in Circular Letter No. 4204/Add. 14 issued on May 5, 2020, calls upon all
Governments to ensure protocols on safe ship crew changes and travel. The frameworks
of Protocols for joining a ship and Protocols for leaving a ship and repatriation also provide recommendations for Governments and employers to ensure that the safety
and wellbeing of seafarers are protected.
"The pandemic has left many workers unable to fulfill their ship contracts, but it
has also put at risk those who have been unable to disembark due to the unavailability
of replacement crew members. The work done by seafarers is vital to keeping supply
chains open and their rights as workers must be protected. Those workers waiting to
board their ships are to be facilitated by the Philippine Government through mobility -
freedom to travel from their domiciles, consular assistance, and medical assistance, and
unimpeded travel through borders to board their ships," Rep. Mendoza, thus concluded. (VGBlogs)
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