Marcos vows support for Filipino seafarers

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said the government is resolute in its commitment to uphold the welfare of Filipino seafarers.​"Two years ago, on Sept. 23, 2024, I signed Republic Act 12021, or the Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers, into law, a landmark measure for our maritime workforce," Marcos said in his keynote address during the Philippine Maritime Convention 2026 in Manila on Wednesday.The law was created to protect the rights, welfare and working conditions of both local and overseas Filipino mariners.​"As we commemorate its second anniversary, we renew our commitment to uphold the rights, the welfare, the safety and the dignity of our seafarers," he added.​The Philippines, Marcos said, remains the world's primary provider of maritime manpower, supplying nearly 20 percent of all deployed seafarers globally.​Marcos acknowledged the increasing security risks across international waters, evident in the reported death of four Filipino seafarers and one missing in an attack at the…