VP NOLI PUSHES FOR THE WELFARE OF PINOY SEAMEN
September 25, 2008

Vice President and Presidential Adviser on Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) Noli 'Kabayan' De Castro is pushing for measures to safeguard the welfare of Filipino seafarers considering the risk that they are taking each time they take a perilous journey. Lately commercial vessels bearing Filipino seafarers are encountering problems when passing through the Gulf of Aden which has now become notorious for pirate attacks.

“We are pushing for additional hazard pay and an improved insurance coverage for our Filipino seafarers considering that most of the time, they are exposed to danger,” De Castro said.

Consistent with this, De Castro asserts that seamen should be given the option whether or not to continue with a voyage or to disembark in a safe port if the voyage involves passing through danger zones such as the Gulf of Aden.

“With an option to refuse, seafarers can choose not to continue with the journey or decline a trip which they think is not safe and be dropped off at the nearest port before passing through declared high risk areas,” De Castro said.

Further, the Vice President is also recommending the shipowners and manning agencies organizing themselves to form a convoy of commercial vessels which will be escorted by a military vessel from the unified forces. The escort should assure safe passage to the Gulf of Aden.

The Vice President is also considering the proposal of some shipowners to initiate high level talks for the government of the Republic of the Philippines and to make representations on behalf of Filipino seafarers before the UN to solve the problem of international piracy. The top-level talk, he said, will address the worsening problem of piracy in the Gulf of Aden.

Meanwhile, the Vice President opposed the idea of military personnel boarding commercial vessels to defend the ship against pirate attacks. He said that engaging pirates will only imperil the lives of our seamen.

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