THE Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) renewed its call for all shipowners and licensed manning agencies to reroute vessels away from high-risk and war-like areas, such as the Black Sea, following the death of two Filipino seafarers and 12 others getting hurt.
In a statement, the department noted how they must consider the escalation of security incidents in the Black Sea, which falls under the International Bargaining Forum's High Risk/War-like Area designation.
“We reiterate our previous advisories on the safety and security matters, where there is a high risk or war-like situation. Number one, for the shipowners to avoid or to divert all voyages in these high-risk warlike areas,” said the agency.
“Secondly, if and when there is a continued voyage to these high-risk and war-like areas, we need to ensure that the seafarers are granted, prior to voyage, the right to refuse sailing with corresponding documentation of such exercise of the right to refuse sailing or documentation of the seafarer's consent to sailing,” added the DMW.
On Monday, July 20, the DMW reported that at least nine vessels carrying 139 Filipino seafarers have been affected by the recent attacks in the Black Sea.
Of the total Filipino seafarers, it said there are two fatalities, 12 injured, and one missing, while the other 124 are safe and unharmed.
For its part, Migrante International said Tuesday, July 21, that the recent attacks in the Black Sea is another clear proof that the actions being undertaken by the DMW are inadequate.
In a separate statement, Migrante said the continued attacks to vessels carrying Filipino seafarers show how there is insufficient protection provided by the DMW.
"While the Department of Migrant Workers has declared maritime corridors, such as the Black Sea and the Strait of Hormuz, as 'War-like Operations Areas' and released advisories to our seafarers on their right to refuse deployment, the death of our two seafarers prove that the Philippine government's response remain inadequate," said Migrante.
"We hold the Marcos government equally accountable for the deaths of our seafarers and the increasing number of Filipino seafarers, who are placed in the cross fire," it added. (Anton Banal/SunStar Philippines)
