Amid the global economic crunch, some local maritime firms are more likely to give in to seafarers’ demands for global pension programs that are mobile, global insurance for medical and life, and communication improvements using various technologies onboard.

Doris Magsaysay Ho, president and chief executive officer of one of the country’s crewing agencies, the Magsaysay Group of Companies, said on Tuesday that such benefits are solutions to make the circular flow of workers fair and just.

“These policies need to be in place to ensure ethical treatment and processing workers to the country of work,” Richard Evans, country manager of Manpower Inc. Philippines, pointed out at a roundtable discussion at the Global Forum for Migration and Development 2008.

Evans said some civil-society groups are creating long-term global workforce development and knowledge circulation policies that enable developing nations to benefit more from overseas workers’ knowledge and experience.

Ho, a member of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Business Advisory Council, said seafarers deserve tokens because they are in a “unique global architecture.”

Under the placement rule, which is among the reasons why seafarers are in good position, employers allow seafarers to be onboard from six to 10 months with two-month vacation.

But Ho is still outraged by the recruitment regulations in the country, particularly with the maritime industry.

“It’s ridiculous,” she said.

Between this year and 2012, the country would need around 64,000 skilled seafarers to fill in top-level positions.

Ho, however, said that with proper benefits given to seafarers, maritime firms are going to combat the bleak picture in the present labor force.

The International Labor Organization estimated that the present financial crisis is likely to lead to the loss of some 20 million jobs around the world (source: businessmirror.com.ph).

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