TACLOBAN CITY – Filipino seafarers training at the National Maritime Polytechnic in Tacloban City are celebrating the release of the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers. The newly enacted law has been lauded as a significant milestone, ensuring the rights, safety, and welfare of maritime workers both locally and internationally.

The seafarers, many of whom have been braving the international seas for many years, are one in saying, the passage of this piece of legislation has been long awaited.

Miguelito Miranda, a first assistant engineer of a ship plying international waters said they are happy that Magna Carta for Filipino Seafarers is finally ready for full implementation.

“Napakalaking tulong po ito sa amin na mga seafarers as the law aims to create more secure and supportive environment for seafarers at maprotektahan lahat ng karapatan naming mga seafarers,” Miranda said.

Another seafarer, John Jaydee Trono, a motorman whose been on the seas for eight years, admits there has also been discrimination onboard ships between seafarers of different nationality.

Under this newly-enacted law, seafarers shall have the right to be protected from discrimination on the basis of race, sex, gender, religion, political opinion or place of birth.

National Maritime Polytechnic Executive Director Victor Del Rosario welcomes the full implementation of the law saying this is one landmark legislation of President Ferdinand R. Marcos’s administration that will ensure greater protection for Filipino seafarers in all fronts.

Del Rosario also said the law affords the NMP a much-needed support in their role as a government-run maritime training institute to expand its training facilities to other areas in the country and improve its training courses to continually produce globally competitive seafarers in the country.

RA 12021 or the Magna Carta for Filipino Seafarers provides for the seafarers’ rights and duties, protection of women in the maritime industry, emergency rescue of domestic seafarers, manning levels and crew competency requirements, terms and conditions of employment; accommodation and food; Medical care, inspection and enforcement; and dispute resolution.

The Magna Carta outlines the rights of seafarers, including just terms and conditions of work, the right to self-organization and collective bargaining, affordable access to educational advancement, the right to information, and the protection of a seafarer’s family or next of kin.

The law also ensures seafarers’ right to safe passage, legal representation, medical attention, access to communication, and fair treatment in case of a maritime accident.
Additional protections are provided to female seafarers, safeguarding them from gender-based discrimination and ensuring they receive equal compensation as their male counterparts.
(AHLETTE REYES, PIA-8)

TACLOBAN CITY – The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) is tapping the youth to tell in their own perspective of a successful story relative to the implementation of the agrarian reform program in the country through a short film.

Late last year, DAR launched “PelikulAgraryo 2025,” a short film festival which offers an exciting platform for tertiary-level students nationwide to celebrate their passion for filmmaking and advocate for the promotion of the success stories of agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs), agrarian reform beneficiaries organizations (ARBOs) and projects of the DAR.

Stories must revolve around this year’s PelikulAgraryo theme, “Pag-ani sa mga Pangarap: Mga Kwento ng Pag-asa at Tagumpay sa Agraryo (Havest of Dreams: Agrarian Stories of Hope and Success).”

There are two categories to vie for, the ARB and the ARBO. All stories must be based on real life accounts of ARBs or ARBOs.

The competition is open to students currently enrolled in communication and media-related courses.

It will feature regional elimination rounds, followed by a national finals event with the awarding ceremony to be held on April 18 this year in Metro Manila.

Regional winners will receive P30,000 for the best film for each category, P15,000 for the second best film, and P10,000 for the third best film. For the winners of the best director, best actor, best actress, best cinematography, best editing and best screenplay will receive P10,000 each.

Winners for the best film of both categories will represent the region and have the chance to compete at the national level and vie for the P60,000 best film prize and other awards at stake.

Deadline for the submission of the regional entries is on February 28 this year.

In Eastern Visayas, interested parties may visit the DAR office in your area for additional information or you may contact the Regional Information Officer at 0920-803-8791.
(JOSE ALSMITH L. SORIA/PR)

A lawmaker asserted that delayed regulatory approvals are causing the high electricity prices being experienced by consumers, emphasizing that it is unfair to blame NGCP for it.
APEC Partylist Rep. Sergio Dagooc said charges collected by NGCP constitute a small portion of the electric bill, and focusing on the transmission grid operator will not address the issue of high electricity prices.

Generation and distribution costs account for 55 and 20 percent, respectively, while NGCP accounts for just 3 percent of the consumers’ electric bill.

“Ano ba immediate na pwede natin gawin na pwede ibaba? I don’t totally agree na tututukan natin si NGCP, bababa na agad iyong bill natin, kasi napakaliit nung kontribusyon ng transmission doon sa kabuang binabayaran natin,” Dagooc said during the hearing of the House Committee on Legislative Franchises.

Department of Energy (DOE) Undersecretary Sharon Garin acknowledged that some delays are due to projects still awaiting approval from the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC).
Dagooc also questioned DOE for relying on the Transmission Development Plan (TDP) as a basis for identifying delays.

“If that’s the case sa pag-review, e papalpak talaga,” Dagooc said.

Philreca Party-List Rep. Presley De Jesus, for his part, welcomed Garin’s admission, saying it is unfair to place all the blame on NGCP for the project delays.

“In short, hindi lang ito solely fault ng NGCP, just to make it clear. Ang masama rito, we’re not trying to defend NGCP. We’re trying to level the playing field. Kasi ang dating, kasalanan ng NGCP kung bakit maraming delays,” De Jesus said.
(LIZBETH ABELLA)