A group of local shipping companies has asked President Marcos to review the Magna Carta for Seafarers that was submitted by the House of Representatives and the Senate to Malacañang for signing into law. In a statement, the Philippine Coastwise Shipping Association (PCSA) said the bill will not serve the interest of the domestic seafarers, ship operators, manning agencies, and maritime institutions since it specifically tailored for international ships and voyages that require longer travel period, larger vessels, and more stringent regulatory measures. “The consensus among stakeholders is that the current version of the Magna Carta will kill the domestic shipping industry and ultimately the seafaring industry in the Philippines,” the statement read. The PCSA is composed of Filipino ship owners that operate short and medium-haul routes and the primary operator of Roll-on/Roll-off ships (RORO) in the Strong Republic National Highway. The group said that since the start of the discussion on the bill, stakeholders have been airing concerns and opposition to the implementation of policies patterned after international convention standards to the domestic shipping industry such as the Maritime Labor Code (MLC, 2006) and International Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW).

LINK: https://seafarertimes.com/2020-21/node/8856