By Perfecto T. Raymundo, Jr.
QUEZON CITY – Anchoring Rights: A forum on ILO Convention No. 188 and Fishers’ Issues and Concerns was held at the 10th flr. of ALU.APSU.ITF Bldg. here coinciding with the World Fisheries Day.
Gerard R. Seno, National Executive Vice President of the Associated Labor Unions/Associated Philippines Seafarers Union (ALU/APSU), said “we are now addressing the issues and concerns affecting the one million Filipino fishers hoping for a better life together.”
Seno said “migrant fisher organizations have lesser protection.”
“Ratification of ILO Convention No. 188 will ensure protection to our Filipino fishers and incentivize them,” he added.
“This forum is a one step in bringing better future for our fishers and their families in giving them a decent life and brighter future,” Seno said.
One of the highlights of the event was a “Situationer and Documentary Screening: Real-life stories from migrant fishers”.
A call to action was made for the government to ratify and implement ILO C188 to protect fishers’ labor rights.
They urged to stand with fishers – ratify ILO C188 and protect their rights at sea.
Articles 23 and 24 of the ILO C188 address how fishers are to be paid such that fishers must be paid in regular payments and all fishers working on board fishing vessels shall be given a means to transmit all or part of the payment received to their families at no cost.
The event was organized by Stella Maris Manila, the Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF), and the APSU.
The experts discussed the importance of ratifying and implementing ILO Convention No. 188.
Luis Manuel “Louie” Corral, National Vice President for National and International Affairs of ALU/APSU, said that in 2019, Filipino migrant fishers travelled to Fiji.
“The fruit of the matter is the ratification and passage of ILO Convention 188, which the big fishing magnets in Gensan, Zamboanga, Puerto Princesa, Bantayan Island, Navotas, and Malabon are opposing,” Corral said.
“6,300 migrants workers averaged annually but those working in commercial vessels number to 1 million,” he added.
Corral noted the sad plight of the Filipino migrant fishers during the Covid-19 pandemic which hit hard the Philippines from March 15, 2020 until the end of December 2022.
Former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte told Deputy House Speaker Raymond Democrito C. Mendoza: “pass the law and I will sign it into law ending the so-called ‘Endo’ (End of Contract).”
Corral called on all the stakeholders to convince President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos, Jr. to urge the Senate to immediately ratify ILO Convention 188 for the general welfare and benefit of the Filipino migrant fishers.
“No fishers, no fish! Thank you fishers. Should we make it a national campaign?,” Fr. Paulo Frigol, Chaplain and Director of Stella Maris Manila, said.
“It’s highly significant that we ratify ILO Convention 188 because we are producers of food,” Christian B. Villena, Advocacy Officer of Associated Labor Unions/Trade Union Congress of the Philippines, said.
In 2020, the Philippines produced PHP273.41 billion or 1.52% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
The fishers are among the poorest basic sectors such that there are 26.2 million fishers living in poverty with an average annual compensation of PHP140,800 or PHP11,733.33 monthly where the poverty threshold is at PHP10,727.
They are vulnerable to wage theft, forced labor and human trafficking. They are also vulnerable to transnational organized crime, including human rights abuses and illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
Article 21 of ILO C188 lays down the right of fishers to be repatriated when their agreements end, and for other reasons.
Repatriation is normally to be at the expense of the fishing vessel owner. The flag State has the duty to intervene if the owner fails in his or her duties, and the State has the right to recover costs from the owner.
“Our presence here is in the spirit of solidarity. We will also include some training standards of TESDA. We are one with you. We need to upgrade the training and education of fishers. We have also available voc-tech trainings for fishers,” Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo J. Cacdac said.
Deputy House Speaker Raymond Democrito C. Mendoza, President of the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines, said “we are very very proud of the fourth building of the ALU in the Philippines.”
Mendoza cited the Department of Migrant Workers which was separated from the Department of Labor and Employment.
“I represent 60 Party-Lists as House Deputy Speaker,” Mendoza said.
“The legislated wage increase has already been passed in the 19th Congress,” he added.
Mendoza stressed “in the ratification of ILO C188, we also have to work with the Department of Labor and Employment.”
Mendoza has been diving since 1991 in the waters off Cebu province.
He assured that the TUCP will always be in the forefront of ratifying the IO Convention 188 and for the protection of seafarers.
For his part, Cacdac said “we are all for the ratification of ILO Convention 188.”
“8,000 Filipino migrant fishers were deployed in 2023 and 5,500 more have been deployed,” he added.
Cacdac noted that human trafficking has always been
“14 establishments were shut down last and we intend to do more this year and next year,” he said.
“Our commitment is to provide accessible support to fishers in distress, legal or financial,” he added.
“Right now, the DMW is working to provide Filipino fishers onboard foreign vessels with adequate protection,” Cacdac said.
The DMW is working for minimum hours of work and maximum hours of rest for migrant Filipino fishers.
“We are also working for bilateral and multilateral cooperation with ASEAN for the welfare and benefit of Filipino migrant fishers,” Cacdac said.
“Gagawin po natin ang lahat para mailatag ang proteksyon para sa Filipino migrant fishers alinsunod sa atas ng Pangulong Bongbong Marcos,” he added.
The guests and stakeholders signed in the “commitment of support to ratify ILO C188 now! Work in fishing convention.”
