Senator Raffy Tulfo filed a Senate resolution seeking to review the existing monitoring measures adopted by the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and the Maritime Industry Authority (MIA) to ensure the protection, well-being, and continued safety of Filipino seafarers, especially those deployed in high-risk maritime areas.
In filing Senate Resolution (SR) No. 393, Tulfo cited incidents that raised significant concerns regarding the safety of Filipino crew members operating in high-risk maritime areas, particularly in the Persian Gulf and surrounding regions.
The legislator noted that last May 6, the vessel MV CMA CGM San Antonio was reportedly struck by a drone while transiting outbound near the Strait of Hormuz, a high-risk maritime area affected by ongoing regional tensions.
“This incident resulted in injuries to seven Filipino seafarers and one foreign national crew member, highlighting the urgent need for enhanced safety protocols.”
“This incident resulted in injuries to seven Filipino seafarers and one foreign national crew member, highlighting the urgent need for enhanced safety protocols,” the lawmaker said.
“The psychological and physical toll on seafarers, coupled with regional instability, underscores the need for stricter enforcement of safety measures and monitoring systems,” the senator added.
“The Dutch-vessel MV Hondius, an expedition cruise ship with 38 Filipino seafarers onboard, was reported to have been stricken by the deadly Hantavirus.”
Aside from this, he noted that the Dutch-vessel MV Hondius, an expedition cruise ship with 38 Filipino seafarers onboard, was reported to have been stricken by the deadly Hantavirus, causing alarm worldwide, last April 24.
Official reports confirmed that two infected passengers have died, but the DMW assured that the 38 Filipino crew members remain “uninfected” and the agency is now exerting all efforts to repatriate the Filipino crew safely back to the Philippines, following mandatory health protocols.
Due to these, Tulfo stressed that there is an urgent need to assess the coordination and compliance mechanisms in place, as well as the effectiveness of monitoring systems for Filipino seafarers operating under the Magna Carta of Seafarers.
