THE Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) on Friday, February 23, 2024, said the expansion of the scope of “high-risk areas” (HRAs) globally would be helpful in the promotion of safer routes for ships carrying Filipino seafarers.
In a statement, the DMW welcomed the inclusion of the entire Gulf of Aden in the HRAs by the International Bargaining Forum (IBF).
"It underscores the international maritime community’s continuing concern over the safety of seafarers aboard ships transiting the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden," said DMW Officer-in-Charge Undersecretary Hans Leo Cacdac.
“The expansion of the scope of ‘high-risk areas’ to include the Gulf of Aden serves as a necessary step towards providing stronger protection and promoting stricter security measures to safeguard Filipino seafarers and all seafarers working onboard ships navigating in such HRAs," he furthered.
On February 16, the IBF declared the entire Gulf of Aden as an HRA.
The expanded HRA now includes the entire southern section of the Red Sea and the entire Gulf of Aden off the coast of Yemen in the Arabian Peninsula, stretching across to the coast of Eritrea in the Horn of Africa region of Eastern Africa.
The designation of an HRA means that Filipino seafarers onboard ships that navigate in such waters will be entitled to the right to refuse sailing, with repatriation at the company’s cost and compensation equal to two month’s basic wage.
They shall also be entitled to a bonus equal to the basic wage, payable for five days minimum plus per day, if longer.
The DMW said such seafarers will also be entitled to double compensation in case of death and disability.
Such seafarers shall be covered by a mandatory requirement to increase security arrangements.
The department urged employers of Filipino seafarers to comply strictly with the expanded “high-risk areas” designation and guidelines.
"We also urge them to implement appropriate risk mitigation measures, such as rerouting vessels and deploying armed security personnel onboard the vessel," said the DMW. (HDT/SunStar Philippines)