AMID the renewed escalation of hostilities in the Middle East, an estimated 2,500 Filipino seafarers continue to be stranded in the Persian Gulf.
In a press briefing, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) reported that 2,500 Filipino crew members on board different vessels remain unable to leave the Persian Gulf.
"We have approximately around 2,500 Filipino seafarers still left in the Gulf," said Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac.
On the other hand, he said over 3,500 Filipino seafarers have already been able to exit via the Strait of Hormuz.
"Around 3,671 Filipino crew members have managed to exit the Strait of Hormuz," said Cacdac.
In a related development, the DMW head said they have already repatriated over 10,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and their dependents from different Middle East states.
He said there are a total of 10,218 individual repatriated by the Philippine government amid the security tension between the United States and Iran.
"The composition is 8,390 OFWs and 1,828 dependents," said Cacdac.
He said they shall continue to offer repatriation assistance to OFWs despite the number of requests already declining.
"We still have our ongoing repatriation although it's unlike during April and May. The number is already declining," said Cacdac. (Anton Banal/SunStar Philippines)
