Mariners reject $15,000 insurance

The amended Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995 will hurt more the seafarers than it helps, the Mariners Association for Regional and International Networking Organization (MARINO) said Saturday.

The group representing the country’s mariners has expressed its resistance to the US$15,000 compulsory insurance provided for under the new approved Migrant Workers Act.

“This compulsory insurance is a diminution of the established benefits for sea-based workers,’’ said Milton Unso, MARINO president.

“We are currently covered in the US$50,000 insurance being paid by foreign principals. What is the need for the US$15,000 compulsory insurance? Unless it is an addition to the previous, we cannot be part of that,’’ he noted.

Dante Dario, a seafarer echoed a similar point, adding that lawmakers do not seem to understand the plight of seafarers overseas.

“Presently, we have an insurance paid by the foreign principals. If there are amendments to the governing laws, it should be for the better and not for the worse,’’ he said.

He claimed that the provision in the Migrant Act is more convenient to the business sector than the sea-based workers.

Section 37A of the Migrant Act states that each migrant worker deployed by a recruitment/manning agency shall be covered by a compulsory insurance policy which shall be secured at no cost to the worker.

The insurance policy shall be effective for the duration of the migrant worker’s employment contract and shall cover at the minimum, accidental death with at least US$15, 000; natural death with at least US$10,000; permanent total disablement with at least US$7,500; and other benefits such repatriation cost of the worker and subsistence allowance.

The compulsory insurance covers both land-based and sea-based workers.

The seafarers noted that land-based workers will greatly benefit from the compulsory insurance, adding it is the first time they have such kind of benefit.

They urged the lawmakers to specify if the US$15,000 compulsory insurance is an add-on to the existing US$50,000 insurance paid for by foreign principals under the Personal and Indemnity (P&I) Club based in London.

MARINO is set to submit its proposals on the compulsory insurance to Congress Bicameral committee next week. –SHIANEE MAMANGLU, Manila Bulletin