TACLOBAN CITY – Tingog party-list Rep. Jude Acidre, chair of the House committee on overseas workers affairs, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to protecting Filipino seafarers during the Singapore Maritime Officers’ Union (SMOU) Manila Nite and Wavelink CadetsPlus graduation at Shangri-La The Fort, Manila.
Addressing maritime leaders and cadet families, Acidre praised the 101 graduates—including 12 women—of the CadetsPlus Program, which has trained over 1,400 Filipinos since 2008. He commended SMOU’s decades-long efforts to uphold seafarer rights and recognized key union leaders and Singaporean diplomats for their support.
Acidre highlighted the recent passage of the Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers, a law that institutionalizes protections before, during, and after deployment. He also condemned ambulance chasing and pushed for the creation of the Migrant Worker Relations Commission to fairly handle labor claims.
In line with long-term seafarer support, he backed reforms to the Philippine Merchant Marine Academy (PMMA) and announced the launch of Seafarer Hubs—safe spaces in major ports for rest and access to key services.
“Filipinos don’t just work at sea—we lead,” Acidre declared, emphasizing the country’s growing role in global maritime leadership.
(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
