DOLE order for manning agencies to pay for seafarers’ lodging hit

MANILA, Philippines — Manning agencies are objecting to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) order compelling recruitment and manning agencies to shoulder the board and lodging expenses of returning overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), saying that such policy may lead to their bankruptcy.

“They would have to spend millions every day for that. Why doesn’t the government use the Filipino seafarers’ P7 billion trust fund with the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration?” said United Filipino Seafarers president Nelson Ramirez said.

“There is nowhere in the Maritime Labor Convention that after the seafarers finished their contracts the manning agency shall cover their expenses for their hotels. Medical care board and ship and ashore are for those seafarers who are sick on board the ship or when they are brought ashore while still serving their contracts,” Ramirez explained.

Abosta Shipmanagement Corp. President Capt. Jess Morales revealed that sadly, two of his shipowners have already informed him that they cannot shoulder the quarantine costs of returning crew because their obligation to the seafarers, as per their existing contract, is terminated upon the seafarer’s arrival to the point of hire.

He lamented that his enterprise has suffered major losses, as their seafarers were replaced by other nationalities when his company was not able to supply Filipino crew during the two-month ECQ when international flights were suspended.