DMW Releases Cover Page of the New Standard Employment Contract for Seafarers

The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has now officially published the Cover Page for the new Standard Employment Contract Governing Overseas Filipino Seafarers (SEC-S). This was issued through Advisory No. 37, Series of 2026, dated 3 July 2026.

In practical terms, this completes the documentary forms contemplated under Department Circular No. 07, Series of 2026, which introduced the new DMW Standard Terms and Conditions for overseas Filipino seafarers.

Application of the SEC-S to Filipino Seafarers Already on Board as of 3 July 2026

The Advisory further clarifies that seafarers documented and deployed beginning 3 July 2026, including those processed during the transition period, are already covered by the applicable provisions of the new SEC-S.

Importantly, contracts of seafarers already on board as of 03 July 2026 need not be re-executed solely because of the publication of the Cover Page. It should be also highlighted that the DMW Advisory stated that Filipino seafarers already on-board as of 3 July 2026 shall likewise be considered governed by the applicable provisions of the SEC-S and a new contract need not be executed. A new contract will only be required where amendments to employment particulars, such as contract extensions, promotions, changes in vessel information, or similar circumstances, necessitate the submission and approval of amended contract documentation.

Mandatory Use Beginning 3 July 2026

Beginning 3 July 2026, licensed manning agencies and their foreign principals/employers are required to use the new SEC-S together with the appropriate Cover Page when processing, documenting, and deploying overseas Filipino seafarers.

The DMW made it clear that the Cover Page is not just a separate attachment. It forms an integral part of the employment contract and must accompany the DMW-approved contract forms.

15-Day Transition Period

The DMW recognizes that manning agencies may need a short adjustment period before fully shifting to the new Cover Pages. For this reason, it has allowed a transition period from 3 July 2026 to 18 July 2026.

During this transition period, licensed manning agencies that cannot immediately adopt the new Cover Pages may still use the previous POEA Standard Employment Contract forms for documentation and processing. However, this does not mean that the old terms continue to apply. The DMW emphasized that the substantive rights and obligations of the parties will already be governed by the new SEC-S.

The DMW also confirmed that submissions using the previous contract forms during the transition period will still be accepted and processed.

What's New in the Cover Page?

What used to be commonly referred to as the one-page contract is now formally called the “Cover Page of the Standard Employment Contract Governing Overseas Filipino Seafarers.” This wording is important because it makes clear that the document serves mainly as a quick reference to the basic terms of employment, while still forming an integral part of the DMW-approved SEC-S.

The new Cover Page also asks for additional or more specific information from the parties, including:

• SRB Number (previously SIRB);
• SID Number;
• Permanent/Residential Address;
• Identification of the Shipowner and its address (if any)

The revised form also adopts the new DMW terminology and now points to the employment framework under Department Circular No. 07, Series of 2026.

Another point worth noting is the stronger DMW oversight. Any amendment or alteration to the Cover Page must first be evaluated, verified, processed, and approved by the DMW before it becomes part of the SEC-S.

Note:    The DMW has also released the new Standard Employment Contract for Filipino fishers, together with its own separate Cover Page. This is worth flagging because fishers now have a distinct contract form and cover page from the SEC-S for seafarers. Employers and manning agencies should therefore be careful to use the correct form depending on the worker’s category.

For full copy of the DMW Advisory No.37, Series of 2026 - Cover Pages of the Standard Employment Contracts, please see the downloads page on our website or click

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

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