Discrimination in terms of Salary

8 years ago, I almost decided to quit seafaring and settle for a land-based job. My reason? The salary was not that great compared to the pressures you need to endure (physically, intellectually and emotionally). On top of that, there was a very demoralizing discrepancy if you compare salaries with a seafarer of the same rank from a different country. Back then, a Japanese, a European or an Indian seafarer received a significantly larger salary compared to a Filipino seafarer doing the same job. It was only in 2008 when the tables really turned and seafaring became a lot more lucrative, especially for Management Level Officers. I personally was onboard a vessel that time, and there I experienced my salary increasing every few months. I even had a stint as a directly hired 1st Engineer in Australia where I received Australian standard wages, and I was the only Filipino onboard giving orders to Australian junior officers. This recent change has been very welcome and opened new doors for Filipinos. Whatever the reason for this change, the Filipino Seafarer not only deserves it, it has already been long overdue.