Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Constitution Hills, Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
Second Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. 10481 
Introduced by MARINO Party-list Representative 
SANDRO L. GONZALEZ 
AN ACT 
STRENGTHENING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10706 OTHERWISE KNOWN AS 
THE SEAFARER’S PROTECTION ACT 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Philippines is the world’s major supplier of seafarers in the world  accounting 
to more than 25% of the total sea-based workers globally. According to the Bangko 
Sentral ng Pilipinas1, personal remittances from Overseas Filipinos (OFs) posted at 
US$37.2 Billion which represented 8.5 percent and 7.7 percent of the country’s Gross 
Domestic Product (GDP) and Gross National Income (GNI), respectively for the year 
2023. Preliminary data showed that of the total personal cash remittances from OFs, 
about 25-30% of which comes from our sea-based workers2. 
However, threats to this mark have been made because of the current legal system 
in our country. Shipowners are now thinking of preferring other nationalities over our 
Filipino seafarers and one of the reasons that our global shipping stakeholders have 
identified was because of the rampant ambulance chasers or those who solicit from 
seafarers the pursuit of any claim against their employers for the purpose of claiming 
monetary benefits and the country’s current legal system. 
1 Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. (2024, February 15). Personal Remittances Set a New Record High in December 
2023 at US$3.6 Billion; Full-Year Level of US$37.2 Billion Highest to Date. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.  
https://www.bsp.gov.ph/SitePages/MediaAndResearch/MediaDisp.aspx?ItemId=7005. 
2 Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. (n.d.). Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Statistics - External Accounts. Overseas  
Filipinos’ Remittances. https://www.bsp.gov.ph/SitePages/Statistics/External.aspx?TabId=8 
May 22, 2024
1:18 pm


As a government response, Republic Act No. 10706 otherwise known as the 
“Seafarers Protection Act” was enacted to put deterrence to ambulance chasing. 
Unfortunately, the said law was unable to repress this practice as it lacks its own teeth. 
This measure seeks to strengthen the said law by providing higher penalties, 
giving the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) the power to initiate, investigate and 
prosecute violators, establishing a seafarer’s defender unit in the Public Attorney’s 
Office, levelling the playing field in the execution of monetary claims, and creating a 
congressional oversight committee. 
In view of the foregoing, the early passage of this proposed measure is highly 
recommended. 
SANDRO L. GONZALEZ 
Representative 
       MARINO Partylist 


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Constitution Hills, Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
Second Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. 10481 
Introduced by MARINO Party-list Representative 
SANDRO L. GONZALEZ 
AN ACT 
STRENGTHENING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10706 OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE 
SEAFARERS PROTECTION ACT 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the ``Revised Seafarers 
Protection Act.”  
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - It shall be the policy of the State to promote 
and protect every Filipino seafarer desiring to work overseas by securing the best 
possible terms and conditions of employment. As some unscrupulous individuals have 
taken advantage of the plight of our seafarers who met an accident, illness or death in the 
course of their service by exploiting the compensation system, our seafarers have fallen 
prey to an unfair scheme where ambulance chasers charge exorbitant fees, with the 
promise of huge monetary award. Towards this end, such practice shall be declared 
unlawful. The right of seafarers to legal assistance and protection from the government 
shall also be promoted .  
SECTION 3.  Prohibition on Ambulance Chasing. - It shall be unlawful for any 
person to engage in ambulance chasing or the act of soliciting, personally or through an 
agent, from seafarers, or their heirs, the pursuit of any claim against their employers for 
the purpose of recovery of monetary claim or benefit, including legal interest, arising 
from accident, illness or death, in exchange of an amount or fee which shall be retained 


or deducted from the monetary claim or benefit granted to or awarded to the seafarers or 
their heirs. 
SECTION 4. Imposition of Excessive Fees. When any contract or arrangement 
between a seafarer or his/her heirs, and a person who appears for or represents them in 
any case for recovery of monetary claim or benefit, including legal interest, arising from 
accident, illness or death before the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) or 
any labor arbiter. the National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB), the Philippine 
Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), the Department of Labor and 
Employment (DOLE) or its regional offices, or other quasi-judicial offices, handling 
labor disputes stipulates that the person who appears for or represents them shall be 
entitled to fees, such fees shall not exceed ten percent (10%) of the compensation or 
benefit awarded to the seafarer or his/her heirs. 
For purposes of this Act, fees referred to in this section shall mean the total 
amount of compensation of the person who appears for or represents the seafarer, or 
his/her heirs for services rendered. 
SECTION 5. Prohibition on Imposition of Excessive Fees. In reference to the 
preceding section, it shall be unlawful for lawyers, legal representatives, and consultants 
of seafarers to stipulate and/or charge fees exceeding ten percent (10%) of the 
compensation or benefit, which may be received by or awarded to the seafarer or to his 
successors-in-interest.   
SECTION 6. Penalties. Any person who violates Sections 3 and 4 of this Act, 
shall suffer the penalty of imprisonment of one (1) year but not more than two (2) years 
or a fine ranging from two hundred thousand pesos (P200,000.00) but not more than four 
hundred thousand pesos (P400,000.00). The same penalties shall be imposed upon any 
person who shall be in collusion in the commission of the prohibited acts in Sections 3 
and 4 hereof. 
SECTION 7. Investigation and Prosecution. The Department of Migrant Workers 
(DMW) shall investigate, initiate, sue, pursue, and help prosecute, in cooperation with the 
Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), 
violations of this Act. In the performance of its functions, the Department Secretary and 
his or her authorized deputy shall have the power: (1) to issue subpoena or subpoena 
duces tecum to any person for investigation; (2) to administer oaths upon cases under 
investigation; and (3) to have access to all public records and to records of private parties 
and concerns, in accordance with law. 


SECTION 8. Seafarer’s Defender Unit. There shall be created an independent 
Seafarers Defenders Unit (SFU) in all district offices of the Public Attorneys Office, 
(PAO) which shall exclusively be responsible in providing, free of charge, legal 
representation, assistance and counselling to seafarers or their families in all death and 
disability claim cases.  
SECTION 9. Immediate execution of judgment; stay of execution. – The DOLE, 
NLRC and NCMB, in consultation with the Maritime Industry Tripartite Council (MITC) 
of the DMW, shall promulgate the necessary rules and procedures to ensure the fair, 
speedy, equitable and just disposition and execution of decisions granting monetary 
awards for the salaries and wages of seafarers, for their death and disability claims, and 
for all their other statutory benefits.  
The DOLE and its attached agencies above shall likewise promulgate rules and 
regulations to prevent ambulance chasing, subject to the provisions of this Act, and of the 
Labor Code, as amended, to ensure the timely and full restitution of the monetary award, 
in case the decision is reversed on appeal or judicial review. For this purpose, the 
following mechanisms are instituted, without prejudice to such rules as the Supreme 
Court may issue or promulgate.  
The decision granting a monetary award in a voluntary or mandatory arbitration, 
or by the NLRC, must state the specific amounts for the payment of the following:  
(a) Any salary or wage;  
(b) Any statutory monetary and welfare benefits;  
(c) Any undisputed amount, which is admitted by a party to be legally due to the 
other party;  
(d) Any disputed amount determined to be legally due the seafarer; and  
(e) Damages, including moral damages, exemplary damages, nominal damages, 
attorney’s fees, and other similar awards.  
Execution of the decision awarding items (a), (b), (c), (d) and (e) above shall issue 
immediately upon motion. Defendant may perfect an appeal and to stay the execution for 
items (d) and (e) above by filing a sufficient supersedeas bond, approved by the voluntary 
or mandatory arbitration, or by the NLRC in favor of the plaintiff to pay the monetary 
award, damages, and costs accruing down to the time of the judgment appealed from. The 
supersedeas bond shall be transmitted by the voluntary or mandatory arbitration, or by the 


NLRC, with the papers, to the clerk of the Court of Appeals to which the action is 
appealed.  
SECTION 10. Congressional Oversight. The Congressional Oversight Committee 
on Migrant Workers shall monitor and oversee the implementation of the provisions of 
this Act. 
SECTION 11. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within ninety (90) days 
from the approval of this Act, the Secretary of Labor and Employment, the Secretary of 
Migrant Workers in coordination with the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) and 
Secretary of Justice, shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations for the effective 
implementation of the provisions of this Act.  
SECTION 12. Repealing Clause. - All laws, orders, issuances, decrees, rules and 
regulations inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified 
accordingly. 
SECTION 13. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days 
after its publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general 
circulation. 
 
Approved,