Philippine Labor Group Challenges Seafarers’ Bond Requirement in Magna Carta Petition

A labor group in the Philippines has filed a petition with the Supreme Court challenging the constitutionality of a bond requirement provision in the Magna Carta for Seafarers. The provision, found in Section 59 of the Magna Carta, mandates that seafarers must provide a financial guarantee before they can enforce favorable decisions on monetary claims. This requirement is not imposed on land-based workers, leading the labor group to argue that it places an unfair financial burden on seafarers.

Under Section 59 of the Magna Carta, the challenging party in a case involving the execution of judgment and monetary reward must provide a financial guarantee if the case is still under appeal or review. This bond ensures that funds can be returned if the decision is overturned and must remain in place until the appeal or review is resolved. If the seafarer wins, the losing party must reimburse the full cost of the bond, but no refund is issued if the seafarer loses.

The labor group contends that the bond requirement provision discriminates against seafarers by imposing a financial risk not faced by other workers. They argue that this provision weakens seafarers’ position by subjecting them to a legal hurdle not imposed on non-seafarer workers. The petition emphasizes that this distinction is irrelevant to safeguarding seafarers and instead delays justice and adds financial strain to seafarers.

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