Description:

To prepare for the implementation of the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006, the Philippine government has undertaken necessary policy actions, including aligning Philippine laws, rules and regulations and practices governing Filipino seafarers with the requirements of the Convention to strengthen our regulatory framework for compliance. However, several gaps in regulation remain as national authorities and industry players are compelled to reassess policies and practices in response to the new comprehensive regulatory regime that the Convention has created.

Another area for assessment is the oil and gas offshore sector and the applicability of MLC provisions to offshore support or similar vessels and offshore workers. In the Philippine Action Plan for the Implementation of the MLC, 2006, one identified policy measure is the issuance of a Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) Governing Board Resolution amending POEA Rules and Regulations, to clarify the provisions applicable to offshore workers. In practice, they can be classified as either landbased or seabased overseas workers, depending on the type of registry of their principals. The classification of offshore workers as seafarers presents several policy and implementation challenges as the rights and standards for seafarers prescribed in the MLC need to be applied. To provide evidence and basis to inform the DOLE and social partners on the policy measures needed to ensure the protection of Filipino offshore workers, the study provides a review of the policies and practice on their employment and working conditions.

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Title: Exploratory Research on Policies and Practices Regarding Filipino Offshore Workers 

Researcher: Paulina Kim C. Pacete