MANILA, Philippines — Kinumpirma ng Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) na may isang Filipino seafarer na nawawala sa gitna ng umiigting na tensyon sa ilang bahagi ng Middle East.
Ayon kay Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac, mino-monitor ng DMW ang humigit-kumulang 6,300 Filipino seafarers na sakay ng mga barkong naglalayag sa mga itinuturing na high-risk areas sa rehiyon.
“We are aware of the situation. We are aware of what happened. The DMW-OWWA (Overseas Workers Welfare Administration) teams have already visited the family. He is missing at the moment, and we are hoping that the search and rescue will yield positive results,” pahayag ni Cacdac sa press briefing nitong Linggo ng gabi.
“At this stage, we are already with the family para makiisa sa pamilya (to show our support to the family), and we are also working closely with the authority that is conducting the search and rescue, which is essentially the Omani Navy, because that’s the area where the attack happened,” dagdag niya.
Sinabi ni Cacdac na mino-monitor ng ahensya ang hindi bababa sa tatlong barko na nakaangkla sa Gulf of Oman, Persian Gulf, at Strait of Hormuz.
Dagdag niya, patuloy na kumukuha ng impormasyon ang DMW mula sa mga Filipino crew members sa pamamagitan ng group chats at sa pakikipag-ugnayan sa manning agencies at ship owners upang makumpirma ang eksaktong bilang ng mga apektadong seafarers.
“So, 6,300 so far. But then again, we are closely watching at least three ships that are anchored in the Strait of Hormuz, Gulf of Oman area, and we are confirming the number,” ani Cacdac.
Naglabas din si Cacdac ng DMW Advisory No. 11, series of 2026 na umaayon sa Warlike Operations Area Committee (WOAC) ng International Bargaining Forum (IBF), na nagdeklara sa Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, at Gulf of Oman bilang “Warlike Operations Areas”.
“Dahil dito, mayroon pong “right to refuse sailing” ang mga tripulante bago pa man maglayag ang barko sa nasabing mga lugar (Because of this, the crew members have the “right to refuse sailing” before the ship departs for those areas),” ayon kay Cacdac.
“May increased security arrangements din na kailangang isagawa ang shipowners. Doble po ang compensation sa mga naiwang pamilya (There are also increased security arrangements that shipowners need to implement. The compensation for the families left behind is doubled) in the event of death and disability,” dagdag pa niya.
Binigyang-diin ni Cacdac na may nakahandang contingency plans ang pamahalaan para sa mga OFW na nasa mga conflict zones. Dave Baluyot
