A Filipino seafarer plying international routes are enjoying some perks and benefits that normal workers ashore don’t have. These are some of the ways that the government and shipowners lure young men and women into joining the profession.
You may know now that being at sea and work on ships is never an easy task. It will never be. But there are still plenty of young adults around the world that bear with the difficulties and become one of us. It is one of following perks that probably lure them into seafaring.
Perks and Benefits
1. Tax Free
100% of salary earned by our mates as well as our fellow OFWs is tax free. The Philippine government is not taking any cut to the salaries and remittances from the so called “Bagong Bayani”.
What you earn will be yours 100% – that’s the government guarantee to all OFWs seeking greener pasture from other countries. Other nationalities shoulder tax deduction from their respective governments.
The deduction to seafarers’ salary is actually from government mandated social programs like SSS, Philhealth & PAGIBIG Fund. Union dues or any other deductions incurred by the seafarer to his employer are all part of the deductions to his salary. Other than that, what he earns is actually his.
2. Can travel to different places around the world
This is one of the best perk there is for a hard working seafarer. A shore leave is what we call it, actually releases some stresses and pressures from work. This short period of freedom is like a booster to seafarers’ morale, energy and focus.
Even just by roaming around a new place or town really helps. Taking a time off work is actually a refreshing feeling for us. We see and experience new places, talk to people and all that stuff that make us forget work for a little bit.
In addition, we are also a big spender to all this localities we visit. We buy souvenir items, local beer and chips, taste local dish and so on.
We are able to roam around and experience places that we will not possibly go had we choose any other profession.
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3. Above median salary
Undeniably one of biggest benefits of being a seafarer. We are enjoying above or even with managerial pay ashore for entry-level seafarer.
This is why this profession still attracts young men and women in different nationalities around the world. Had the wages be so low, I doubt that there will go out at sea and work on ships.
As a result of this high salary rates, seafarers lift themselves up from poverty including their families. They will buy or built their homes, start a stable business, etc.
However, not all seafarers manage their money so well and end up broke even with these kind of pay. There are plenty factors that needs to be considered with this one and somehow, to this day, still a sensitive topic onboard ships.
4. Developing a strong character
It comes with the image and persona of being a seafarer that they are strong, tough and resilient. I will say it is true, for some reasons that only seafarer himself can understand.
We are constantly battling homesickness, fatigue and pressure to get the job done. Plus, we are also dealing with external forces like waves, storms, hot and cold temperature. Dealing with different personalities, nationalities and culture all adds up. If you stand up to all these, then it is worth considering that you already built a strong character.
Surviving tough work environment is never easy. Seafarers just used to work in these kind of environment because it is part of the job.
5. Medically fit
We will include being medically fit as benefits of being a seafarer for the reason that our health is closely being monitored by our employers. Seafarers aged 39 years old below are required to submit for medical examination every 2 years while annual for 40 years old and above.
However, the real status of our health conditions still rest at our private doctors. This is because most of our mates that are being sent to medical clinics are skeptical of the clinic’s results.
For them, this annual medical exam to us is a business and will just took money from our pockets. Despite no conditions or findings from their private doctors, clinic’s results are just totally the opposite.
What has seafaring benefits you?
I am pretty sure that there have been plenty of seafarers whom benefited much from this profession. It really depends on how you appreciate and use all this benefits to your advantage.
May it be from personal development or in financial side, it is always good that we seek positive benefits from this tough job. 🙂