Pinoy Marino Rights
Atty. Dennis Gorecho
31st National Seafarers’ Day as tribute to Pinoy Mariners
The 31st National Seafarers Day (NSD) will be celebrated on September 27, 2026 with the theme “Marinong Filipino: Matatag sa alon, Matibay sa hamon!”.
The first NSD was held on August 18, 1996 at the WG&A Pier 4, North Harbor Manila.with “Marinong Filipino: Taas Noo!” as theme.
NSD is celebrated by virtue of Proclamation No. 828 issued by Former president Fidel V. Ramos on July 9, 1996 declaring August 18 to give due recognition to the vital role of Filipino seafarers towards the development of the Philippines as a maritime country.
Proclamation No.1094 was later issued in 1997 which moved NSD to every last Sunday of September every year.
The Philippines continues to be the world’s leading supplier of seafarers, according to the Seafarer Workforce Report 2026 released by the Baltic and International Maritime Council (BIMCO) and the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS).
The report estimated the global supply of STCW-certified seafarers at 2,565,580, including 1,048,980 officers and 1,516,600 ratings.
The Philippines remained the largest contributor, with 203,179 officers and 256,968 ratings, ahead of India, China, the Russian Federation, and Indonesia. Together, these five countries account for 56.25 percent of the global seafarer workforce.
It is estimated that there is one Filipino seafarer for every four to five complements on board a vessel at any time.
The sea-based sector’s remittances comprised at least 20 percent of the total OFW dollar remittances.
In 1996, there were 175,469 documented seafarers deployed with dollar remittances reaching US$251.24 million.
In 2025, the remittance from the deployed 589,000 Filipino seafarers amounted to US$7.139 billion.
NSD is led by Stella Maris Philippines which is a global Catholic charity operating in ports worldwide. Its ministry provides pastoral care and services to seafarers, fishers, maritime students, port personnel and their families, addressing challenges such as isolation, unsafe working conditions and family separation.
Stella Maris is tasked to coordinate with the public and private sectors in the conduct of NSD-related activities including masses, novenas, parades, processions, concerts as well as oratorical, art and karaoke contests.
Wreathe and flower-throwing activities are also offered for the deceased seafarers and fishers, as well as for those who have perished or missing at sea.
There are presently 17 Stella Maris centers nationwide: five in Luzon ( Batangas, La Union, Manila Palawan, Pangasinan), six in Visayas (Bohol, Capiz, Cebu, Dumaguete, Iloilo, Leyte) and six in Mindanao (Basilan, Cagayan de Oro, Davao, General Santos City, Iligan, Zamboanga).
The first NSD was likewise held a year after R.A. No.8042, or the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995, was signed into law by President Ramos on June 7, 1995.
It was also the year when the first edition of the AHOY! Manual for Filipino Seafarers was released.
In 1999, NSD had Outstanding Seafarers of the Year Award (OSYA) until 2010.
In 2004, the first year of the NSD Oratorical contest for maritime students was held.
In 2010, the first Boses ng Marino karaoke challenge was held in Kalaw.
In 2011, the 16th NSD gave recognition to the first batch of Ten Outstanding Maritime Students of the Philippines (TOMSP).
During the annual Ecumenical Memorial at Sea, prayers are offered and flowers are thrown to the open seas as homage to deceased and missing seafarers. Wreathe thrown into the sea is a tradition that carry to all the deceased seafarers the message of love and gratitude as the flowers embody life and resurrection.
Boses ng Marino karaoke challenge is a testament that music plays a special role on Filipino seafarers’ life, whether at sea or on land. The sea cannot stop the seafarers in mastering the art of vocal mimicry from contagiously belting out songs like the infamous “My Way.”
There were also music-related activities as part of the NSD like song writing contest (2004 to 2008), chorale competition (2007), battle of the bands (2007, 2019), jingle (2007) and Harana concerts by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Band (2017-2019, 2025) that pays homage to the oceans and seas to keep our Filipino seafarers safe in their voyage.
The Grand Parade is participated by stakeholders from maritime schools, government agencies, manning agencies, training centers, maritime organizations, unions, families and private institutions.
The NSD coincides with the National Maritime Week celebrated every last week of September spearheaded alternatively by the government agencies Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), PCG, and Philippine Ports Authority (PPA).
NSD activities form integral parts of the NMW, with additional nationwide activities like coastal clean-up, conferences, blowing of horns and dressing of ships, screenings on West Philippine Sea, tree planting, and blood letting.
(Atty. Dennis R. Gorecho heads the Seafarers’ Division of the Sapalo Velez Bundang Bulilan Law Offices. For comments, e-mail info@sapalovelez.com, or call 0908-8665786.)