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2026 Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Seabased Rules - Key Changes

 

1. Vital Partnership                                                                                                                                             

• Emphasis on ensuring full and quality employment                                                                              
• Licensed Manning Agencies (LMAs) and shipowners are considered“vital partners”

 

2. Expanded Definitions and Coverage

• New or clarified concepts (e.g., abandonment, accommodation, bullying, distressed seafarer)
• Recognition of intermodal sector (subject to future guidelines)
• Introduction of ethical recruitment standards (subject to Code of Ethical Recruitment to be developed by industry and DMW)
• Replacement of “OEC” with “OFW Clearance”

 

3. Licensing and Capital Requirements                            

• Licensing and Capital Requirements                                                                                                                                                  
• Capital must be substantially maintained at PhP 5M
• Escrow increased to PhP 1.5M with LMAs given one (1) year to comply
• Provisional license:
  • valid for3 years (non-extendible)
  • must deploy 75 seafarers within 3 years to its new principal/vessels only
• Regular license:
  • now valid for 6 years
• New compliance requirements:
  • Data Protection Officer
  • Non-Disclosure Agreementswith officer/employees
  • Quality Management System (for regular license/renewal)

 

4. Stronger Compliance and Monitoring

• Regular assessments every two (2) years (including data privacy compliance)
• Mandatory:
  • quarterly monitoring report
  • incident reporting
• Critical incidents must be reported within5 days from being informed, with ongoing updates (i.e. bi-monthly reports to DMW and next of kin until resolved)

 

5. Accreditation of Principals                                                                                                                                 

• Accreditation validity increased to 6 years                                                                                                                                
• Introduction of discretionary provisional principal accreditation valid for 150 calendar days
• More detailed requirements for:
  • financial security
  • insurance (COC)
• Structured rules on:
  • transfer of accreditation
  • multiple principals in special vessels

 

6. Transfers Between Agencies                                                                                                                                 

• Transfers may be deferred if:                                                                                                                                                                         
  • deployment or repatriation is ongoing
  • seafarers may be prejudiced
  • absence of No-Objection Letter from old agency
• DMW will not resolve disputes between parties
• Disputes must be:
  • settled internally or in court
• However:
  • transfers may still proceed if public interest requires

 

7. Recruitment and Advertising

• Vloggers and agents who advertise must be authorized by the LMAs and acknowledged by the DMW
• Recruitment outside office is more tightly regulated
• Stronger controls on job advertising and promotion (e.g. principals cannot advertise directly)

 

8. Seafarer Deployment and Documentation                                                                                                                                

• Direct hiring is expressly prohibited                                                                                                                                                  
• OFW Clearance:
  • valid for 60 days
  • if not delayed:
    • must report to DMW within 30 days
    • must cancel documents
• On-board contract processing now recognized

 

9. Vessel Coverage Clarified                                                                                                                                       

• Covered:                                                                                                                                                                   
  • commercial vessels, mobile offshore/drilling units, cruise ships, yachts, commercial fishing vessels
• Not covered:
  • warships, naval auxiliaries, government non-commercial vessels
• Special ships may be allowed multiple principals/LMAs

 

10. Employment Standards and Welfare                                                                                                                

• CBA coverage must be disclosed before signing                                                                                             
• Seafarers must be given acopy of the CBA
• Salary or CBA changes must bereported to DMW
• Wages continue in certain cases (e.g., detention due to external causes)
• Distinction introduced for detention due to criminal cases

 

11. Stronger Seafarer Protection                                                                                         

• Mandatory:                                                                                                                                                       
  • welfare monitoring
  • reporting to next of kin
• Repatriation:
  • destination may be chosen by seafarer or next of kin (point of hire or domicile)
• Costs may be initially advanced by DMW AKSYON fund, subject to reimbursement

 

12. Stricter Enforcement and Penalties                                                                                                                                       

• Unlawful collections (any amount) →cancellation of license                                                                                            
• Habitual violations →maximum penalty
• Alternative fines allowed only for suspension (not cancellation)
• Execution of penalties of suspension or cancellation may proceed pending appeal
• Clemency may be allowed by DMW in certain cases

 

13. Procedural and Dispute Rules

• Money claims still outside DMW jurisdiction
• DMW handles:
  • regulatory and disciplinary matters only
• Venue rules clarified (based on seafarer residence or place of recruitment or LMA principal office location at the option of seafarer)

 

Note: New Seabased Rules take effect on 2 July 2026. Further details on changes omitted from this write-up  may be discussed separately with our Firm’s lawyers, should you require further clarification.

 

For full copy of the DMW Department Circular No 6 Series of 2026, please see the downloads page on our website or click

https://www.delrosariolaw.com/en/e-library/downloads

 

 

 

 

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Areas of Specialization: Labour & personal injury, litigation and dispute resolution, corporate and commercial, shipping and admiralty, intellectual property, cargo claims and charter party, transport, insurance and reinsurance, arbitration and ADR, immigration.