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 WG&A Pier 4 in North Harbor, Manila, with “Marinong Filipino: Taas Noo!” as its theme.
NSD is celebrated by virtue of Proclamation No. 828, issued by former President Fidel V. Ramos on July 9, 1996, declaring August 18 as National Seafarers’ Day to give due recognition to the vital role of Filipino seafarers in the development of the Philippines as a maritime country.
Proclamation No. 1094 was later issued in 1997, moving the observance of NSD to the 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 crew members aboard a vessel at any given time.
Remittances from the sea-based sector comprise at least 20 percent of total dollar remittances from overseas Filipino workers.
In 1996, there were 175,469 documented seafarers deployed, with their dollar remittances reaching US$251.24 million.
By 2025, remittances from 589,000 deployed Filipino seafarers had reached US$7.139 billion.
NSD is led by Stella Maris Philippines, part of 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 with coordinating with the public and private sectors in conducting NSD-related activities, including Masses, novenas, parades, processions, concerts, and oratorical, art, and karaoke contests.
Wreath- and flower-throwing activities are also held in remembrance of deceased seafarers and fishers, as well as those who have perished or gone missing at sea.
There are presently 17 Stella Maris centers nationwide: five in Luzon — Batangas, La Union, Manila, Palawan, and Pangasinan; six in the Visayas — Bohol, Capiz, Cebu, Dumaguete, Iloilo, and Leyte; and six in Mindanao — Basilan, Cagayan de Oro, Davao, General Santos City, Iligan, and Zamboanga.
The first NSD was likewise held a year after Republic Act 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 introduced the Outstanding Seafarers of the Year Award (OSYA), which continued until 2010.
In 2004, the first 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 recognized the first batch of the Ten Outstanding Maritime Students of the Philippines (TOMSP).
During the annual Ecumenical Memorial at Sea, prayers are offered and flowers are cast into the open sea as a tribute to deceased and missing seafarers. The throwing of wreaths into the sea is a tradition that conveys a message of love and gratitude to departed seafarers, with the flowers symbolizing life and resurrection.
The Boses ng Marino karaoke challenge is a testament to the special role music plays in the lives of Filipino seafarers, whether at sea or on land. Even the sea cannot stop seafarers from mastering the art of vocal mimicry and enthusiastically belting out songs such as the infamous “My Way.”
Music-related activities have also been part of NSD through the years, including songwriting contests from 2004 to 2008, a chorale competition in 2007, battle of the bands competitions in 2007 and 2019, a jingle competition in 2007, and Harana concerts by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Band from 2017 to 2019 and again in 2025. These activities pay homage to the oceans and seas while offering prayers for the safety of Filipino seafarers on their voyages.
The Grand Parade is participated in by stakeholders from maritime schools, government agencies, manning agencies, training centers, maritime organizations, unions, families, and private institutions.
NSD coincides with National Maritime Week, celebrated every last week of September and spearheaded alternately by the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), Philippine Coast Guard, and Philippine Ports Authority (PPA).
NSD activities form an integral part of National Maritime Week, which also features nationwide activities such as coastal cleanups, conferences, the blowing of ship horns and dressing of ships, screenings on the West Philippine Sea, tree-planting activities, and bloodletting drives.
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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./PN
