Rotterdam 2002 International Conference on The Filipino Seafarer in the 21st Century: Issues and Interests Aboard and Ashore
International Conference
on The Filipino Seafarer in the 21st Century:
Issues and Interests Aboard and Ashore
20-21 June 2002
Rotterdam, The Netherlands
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE
ON FILIPINO SEAFARERS CALLS FOR RIGHTS AND REFORMS
At last, it happened. The first international conference on Filipino seafarers, fully dedicated to the theme of promoting their rights and well-being, was held in Rotterdam on June 20 and 21. The event was co-organized by PSAP and the Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs (OUMWA) of the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs. The conference gathered 40 international participants who, after extensive deliberations, adopted a “Programme of Action” at the end of their historic meeting. With its successful conclusion, the Conference marks the beginning of a comprehensive global campaign to promote the rights, the interests and the welfare of Filipino seafarers.
Sailing for Rights and Welfare: Conference onboard the Ameland
The Conference went with the title “The Filipino Seafarer in the 21st Century: Issues and Interests Aboard and Ashore”. Conclusions and recommendations were made on three general topics which were discussed: first, the demand for Filipino seafarers in the global market for maritime labour; secondly, “governance” on the part of the Philippines as a major labour-supplying country (or the role and responsibilities of various Philippine government institutions); and thirdly, the protection and promotion of the rights and welfare Filipino seafarers, both at home and abroad.
The speakers and resource persons who led the discussions came from various sectors and key international organizations like the International Labour Office, the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF), the International Shipping Federation (ISF), the International Committee on Seafarers Welfare (ICSW), the International Christian Maritime Association (ICMA), the Seafarers International Research Centre (SIRC) of Cardiff University, and the International Maritime Health Association (IMHA). Foreign governmental agencies which actively took part included the Dutch Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management, the Rotterdam Port Authority, and the Norwegian Government Seamen’s Service. Philippine governmental agencies represented included Congress, the Commission on Filipinos Overseas, the Philippine Embassies in the Hague, Brussels and London, and the Permanent Representative of the Philippines to the International Maritime Organization (IMO). Various non-governmental groups and organizations in Europe and the Philippine also took part, like Kakammpi, Unlad Kabayan, and the Cebu-based Seafarers’ Family Caregivers Association.
The Conference was a pioneering event because it provided the very first opportunity for all these “stakeholders” to come together and deliberate on the issues, problems and opportunities faced by Filipino Seafarers. It was also a pioneering experience in another sense: the conference took place onboard the vessel Ameland, a Dutch party ship with a Filipino crew (the crew were all PSAP volunteers!). The Conference was literally a sailing adventure for participants, which definitely made the entire event very memorable for the delegates.
Who’s who at the Conference
Conference co-convenor, OUMWA Undersecretary Merlin Magallona, led the Philippine government delegation. Three Congressmen were there to pledge all-out support to the seafarers’ legislative agenda: Congressman Roseller Barinaga, Chairman of the House Committee on Labour, Congressman Ernie Clarete, Vice-Chair of the House Committee on Labour, and Congressman Jose Apolinario Lozada, Chairman of the House Foreign Relations Committee. Clemencio Monesa, Philippine Ambassador to Brussels and the European Union, was also there, together with Consul Eduardo Menez and Labour Attache George Eduvala of the Philippine Embassy in the Hague. Coming from London is Atty. Gilberto Asuque, who is Minister at the Philippine Embassy in London and the representative of the Philippines to the IMO. Director Corazon Rodolfo, on her behalf and on behalf of Catherine Maceda of the Commission on Filipinos Overseas, provided essential input to the Conference. Philippine Consuls-General Henk Meijboom (Rotterdam) and Eppo Horlings (Amsterdam) gave valuable contributions.
The Dutch Government institutions were represented by Dr. Ger Nieuwpoort and Mr. Geert Besier of the Dutch Ministry of Transport, Mr. Peter Dankers of the Rotterdam Social Welfare Department.
The presence of the top people from the SIRC at Cardiff supplied the meeting with heavy academic and research credentials. Giving inputs from SIRC were Dr. Tony Lane, SIRC Director; Dr. Erol Kahveci; senior researcher; and Dr. Maragtas Amante, research fellow. Dr. Amante was former dean of the School of Labour and Industrianl Relations in UP Diliman.
Key institutions and international organizations were represented by the following: Dani Appave, ILO; Stephen Cotton and Ruud Touwen, ITF; Simon Bennett, ISF; Rev. Berend van Dijken, on behalf of the church missions and the ICSW Presidium; Dr. Joseph Abesamis, IMHA. Solidarity was expressed by the president of the Dutch Seafarers Federation, Ed Sarton. Arend Boer, managing director of the Maritime Hotel in Rotterdam was also there.
Likewise in the church contingent were: Rev. Jorgedy Bago, Chaplain at the Antwerp International Seafarers Center and Rev. Roy Paul of the Mersey Mission to Seamen in the UK, and Rev. Dolf Leatomu, Rotterdam port Chaplain.
Assistant director Erling Isaksen of the Norwegian Government Seamen’s Service gave an informative presentation. Dr. Olaf Jansen and Dr. Fabienne Knudsen were present on behalf of the Maritime Medicine Institute in Denmark. The Netherland’s Shipbuilding Industry Association was represented by PSAP’s close friend, Pieter `t Hart.
Representation from Philippine NGOs was led by Ms. Ellene Sana of Kakammpi, Ms. Rosario Canete of Unlad Kabayan, and Ms. Lourdes Ceniza of the Seafarers’ Families Caregivers Association. Also there was Joe Valencia of Kasapi Seafarers Assistance Programme based in Athens, Greece. Other representatives from non-governmental groups included Carlo Butalid (Pasali Seafarers Cooperative), Corrie Llamas (United Filipino Seafarers), Manuel Singson (Concerned Seamen of the Philippines). The African Seafarers Assistance Network was represented by Fred Mensah and Simon Dossa.
An impressive highlight of the Conference was the tour at the World Port Center hosted by Rotterdam Harbormaster and Port Authority Director Jaap Lems. A high-tech multi-media presentation was given to the delegates by the head of external relations of the Rotterdam Port Authority, Mr. Rene Luijcx.
The Rotterdam Declaration
The Conference was, for all intents and purposes, a forward-looking event. The main objective was to develop an informal consensus among participants on how to deal with the problems and issues faced by Filipino seafarers. The Conference was successful in this regard because the participants were able to agree on a Rotterdam Declaration entitled “A Programme of Action to Promote the Welfare and Protect the Rights and Interests of Filipino Seafarers in the 21st Century”.
The Programme of Action outlines the conclusions and recommendations of the Conference on the three themes of the Conference, namely “international labour market for Filipino seafarers”, “governance”, and “rights and well-being”.
On the theme of maritime labour markets, the Programme of Action concludes that Filipino seafarers occupy a highly competitive position in the maritime labour sector, for both officers and ratings. Filipino seafarers account for the biggest nationality group in the world seas and oceans, making up over 20% of the labour force in international shipping. However, this competitive advantage will be maintained only if reforms are introduced and quality improvements consistently pursued in the areas of maritime education, training, certification and recruitment. The Programme of Action therefore recommends steps to be taken by the Philippine government in these areas.
On the theme of “governance”, the Programme of Action notes that the present system on the education, deployment and protection of seafarers involves too many government offices and agencies whose actions need to be streamlined and coordinated. The core recommendation in the Programme of Action calls on a comprehensive national dialogue, involving all actors and stakeholders, to address the intertwined issues of education, deployment and protection of Filipino Seafarers and their families. The Programme of Action proposes that the current initiative in the Philippines to come up with a “Magna Carta” for seafarers should provide the appropriate venue for this national dialogue.
Finally, on the theme of “rights and well-being”, the Programme of Action identifies specific remedies to deal with familiar and long-standing seafarers’ problems like blacklisting and watch-listing, abandonment and non-payment of wages, expensive and unnecessary trainings, indifference and neglect by unions, and malpractices of manning agencies. The Programme of Action also endorsed the “one-stop shop” system for seafarers in the Philippines. Last but not least, it calls for more support for welfare-giving agencies, whether based at home or in the various ports of the world.
So what’s next?
The Programme of Action as been distributed far and wide. Various groups and organizations, like relevant government agencies and the ICSW, are now looking at ways and means to put its recommendations into effect. PSAP for one has launched a long-term lobby and advocacy campaign whose underlying objective is to bring the concrete results of the Programme of Action to the daily lives of seafarers and their families.
In the short term, the Programme of Action will serve as a notable input to National Seafarers Convention to be held in Manila from September 27-28 this year, in commemoration of National Seafarers Day. It will also serve as an input to the on-going deliberations in the ILO which is now working to come up with an international “bill of rights” for seafarers.
Appreciation
The Conference has been made possible with the support of the following: Novib; the ITF Seafarers’ Trust; Cordaid; the Rotterdam Municipal Port Manangement; Koninklijke Scheepsagentuur Dirkswager BV; Broekman Group Ship Agents, Rotterdam; The Maritime Hotel, Rotterdam; The Rotterdam Port Promotion Council; the Division of Maritime Transport of the Dutch Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management; the Seafarers International Research Center, Cardiff University; the Organizing Committee for the National Seafarers Convention, Manila, Sept. 2002; and Philippine Consul General Henk Meijboom.
Of course, the Conference initiative was truly memorable and historic because of the scores of PSAP Volunteers who made it happen. Mabuhay Ka, Marinong Pilipino!
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