The Philippine Department of Labor and Employment has established a Maritime Labor Affairs Office (MLAO) to strengthen state support for Filipino seafarers. Under Administrative Order No. 283, the new unit will provide legal assistance, conciliation and dispute resolution, workers’ education and employment services, and ensure fair implementation of decisions on wages, statutory benefits and death and disability claims. The office aims to create a coordinated mechanism for handling seafarer employment disputes and improving welfare.
The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in the Philippines has launched a dedicated Maritime Labor Affairs Office (MLAO) to enhance assistance to Filipino seafarers. According to DOLE, Administrative Order No. 283 mandates MLAO to deliver legal assistance, conciliation, dispute resolution, workers’ education and employment services for maritime workers. The office is tasked with ensuring fair, prompt and just implementation of decisions involving seafarers’ salaries, statutory benefits, and death and disability claims, and will handle conciliation, mediation and arbitration of employment disputes through the Single Entry Approach (SEnA). This development has been reported by national media such as GMA News, while the broader importance of protecting Filipino seafarers’ rights is a recurring theme in international coverage by agencies like Reuters and maritime titles including The Maritime Executive and Safety4Sea.
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