Labor Groups Sound Alarm on Fishworkers’ Labor Protections
MANILA — Labor advocates have raised urgent concerns over the Department of Labor and Employment’s (DOLE) recent efforts to amend a crucial policy protecting fishworkers. The proposed changes to fishworkers’ labor protections risk reversing nearly a decade of progress and may leave thousands vulnerable to exploitation at sea, sources reported.
The exact 4-word keyphrase “fishworkers labor protections” is central to this debate. According to union officials, DOLE’s attempts to revise Department Order No. 156, Series of 2016 (DO-156) indicate a troubling shift favoring large commercial fishing corporations rather than safeguarding fishers’ rights.
Origins and Promise of Fishworkers Labor Protections
Enacted in 2016, DO-156 was hailed as a landmark policy that finally brought commercial fishworkers under the full protection of the Labor Code. It mandates written employment contracts, guarantees minimum wages beyond mere catch shares, and provides benefits such as holiday pay, rest periods, and social security coverage.
Moreover, the order requires employers to ensure adequate onboard living conditions, including sleeping quarters, sanitation, protective gear, medical care, and nourishment. Large fishing vessels face even stricter standards to uphold safety and health.
Fishworkers Still Treated as Industrial Partners
Despite these legal provisions, labor advocates say many fishers remain classified as “industrial partners,” a loophole that exempts employers from labor obligations. Workers often endure months or years at sea only to return with meager earnings after deductions, community members noted.
Josua Mata, Secretary General of a prominent labor coalition, described fishworkers as “the sacadas of the seas,” drawing parallels to historical exploitation of seasonal plantation laborers under unfair share arrangements.
Concerns Over Proposed Amendments to Labor Protections
Instead of enforcing DO-156, DOLE appears to be pushing amendments that could weaken fishworkers labor protections, officials warned. This move is reportedly under pressure from major fishing industry groups seeking greater flexibility at the expense of workers’ rights.
“Instead of enforcing DO-156 to protect fishers, DOLE is rushing to gut it—essentially doing the dirty work for big fishing companies,” Mata said. The lack of transparency regarding vessel compliance inspections further fuels suspicions of regulatory neglect or collusion.
Advocates fear that undermining these protections could jeopardize the Philippines’ trade relations, particularly its Generalized Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) status with the European Union, which requires adherence to labor rights standards.
Fishworkers Solidarity Condemns Legalization of Exploitation
Fishworkers Solidarity (FSW), a sectoral group aligned with labor coalitions, issued a statement condemning the proposed amendments. They called the move “a direct attack on workers’ rights and dignity” that would effectively legalize exploitation and strip thousands of fishers of basic labor protections.
FSW also criticized a recent Supreme Court ruling permitting commercial fishing vessels to operate within 15-kilometer municipal waters, traditionally reserved for small-scale fishers. The group labeled this “judicial legislation” favoring commercial interests over marginalized communities.
Local ordinances in areas like Glan, Sarangani, which penalize subsistence fishers with fines or imprisonment, further marginalize small-scale workers. FSW questioned the slow government response, hinting at conflicts of interest involving high-ranking officials with ties to commercial fishing enterprises.
What Fishworkers Labor Protections Guarantee
DO-156 establishes that fishers on commercial vessels are workers entitled to full labor rights. These include written contracts, minimum and overtime wages, 13th-month pay, rest days, holidays, and a range of leave benefits such as maternity and paternity leave.
Compensation aligns with regional wage board standards, with room for performance-based incentives. Beyond wages, the order mandates humane living conditions aboard vessels, including sleeping spaces, mess halls, sanitation facilities, and potable water.
Employers must provide life-saving equipment, personal protective gear, and ensure compliance with occupational safety and health standards. Fishers receive safety training before deployment, and employers must coordinate with relevant agencies for monitoring and emergency response.
DO-156 also protects workers against unjust dismissal, prohibits child and forced labor, and safeguards the right to organize and collectively bargain. In emergencies or detention abroad, employers are responsible for repatriation costs and full wage payment.
Calls for Immediate Action and Full Enforcement
Labor groups emphasize that the real issue is not just the amendment but the longstanding failure to enforce DO-156 effectively. They warn that dismantling the order will perpetuate decades of abuse under the guise of flexibility.
Industry representatives in regions like SOCSKSARGEN have reportedly lobbied for continued share-based arrangements, which critics equate with modern slavery. Advocates demand an immediate halt to these amendments and full implementation of DO-156 as originally intended.
They also call for protecting municipal waters from commercial encroachment and ending all forms of forced labor in the fisheries sector. “Fishworkers and fisherfolk will not be silenced,” they declared. “We will continue to organize, protest, and resist until our rights, our livelihoods, and our dignity are secured.”
For more news and updates on fishworkers labor protections, visit Filipinokami.com.
