The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) reiterated its call for licensed manning agencies (LMAs) and shipowners to prioritize the safety and security of Filipino seafarers by rerouting their vessels away from high-risk areas, particularly the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said that they are monitoring the Red Sea amid continuous attacks from Yemen-based Houthi rebels.

“We continue to monitor the situation on the Red Sea. Recently, we were assured by a principal with 84 ships that they will avoid navigating these waters. We have already prevented nine shipowners and their ships, which were previously attacked, from sending vessels with Filipino crew into the Red Sea,” Secretary Cacdac said on Thursday, Nov. 7.

Since last year, the Iranian-backed Houthi group has been launching missile and drone attacks against vessels passing through the Red Sea, an international shipping lane, in support of Palestinian militant group Hamas’ war with Israel.

Based on records by the DMW, there are 49 reported attacks against ships with Filipino crew onboard while traversing through the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden from November 2023 to October 29, 2024.

The attacks resulted to two confirmed deaths of Filipino seafarers, two injured, and one missing.

Among those ships was the M/V Minoan Courage with 21 Filipino seafarers onboard, a Greek bulker, which was struck by Houthi rebels last Oct. 1.

The DMW said all of the seafarers onboard were safe and repatriated through the joint efforts of DMW and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), in coordination with their licensed manning agencies and the shipowner.

As of October 30, the DMW said that there have been 186 Filipino seafarers who refused to sail through the said high-risk areas.

The DMW said it is committed to ensure and advocate the protection and well-being of Filipino seafarers and urges employers of Filipino seafarers to comply strictly with the expanded “high risk areas” designation and implement appropriate risk mitigation measures, such as rerouting vessels and deploying armed security personnel onboard the vessel.

“The DMW prioritizes the safety and rights of Filipino seafarers, who should be made fully aware of their assigned routes and the potential dangers involved. At the same time, they should be protected from discrimination or withheld compensation for exercising their right to refuse sailing,” Cacdac said.

The DMW reminded LMAs that they are required to register as a “significant event” the passage of any of their ships to the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden through the DMW electronic Overseas Welfare Monitoring System (OWMS).

It said failure to report such a significant event opens the shipping principal and manning agency to appropriate sanctions.