Filipino seafarers will no longer be allowed to be deployed on passenger and cruise ships that would sail through the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden which were earlier declared as high-risk areas and war-like zones amid missile attacks on passing ships in the past months.
In an order it issued, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said the prohibition is part of its mandate to ensure safety of Filipino seafarers, especially that some of the attacks carried out resulted in deaths and injuries to Filipino sailors.
“The DMW remains steadfast in its commitment to safeguarding the well-being of Filipino seafarers. These measures reflect the DMW’s dedication to ensuring safe working conditions and protecting our seafaring workforce,” it said.
The DMW order also comes from collective discussions during last month's meeting with the DMW and the Philippine Maritime Industry Tripartite Council (MITC) wherein both parties agreed to underscore the urgent need for stricter protocols to ensure the safety of Filipino seafarers navigating the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
Under the Department Order 2, Licensed Manning Agencies (LMAs) must sign an “affirmation letter” guaranteeing that the vessels their seafarers board will not navigate the Red Sea or the Gulf of Aden.
The DMW said the letter, along with the vessel’s detailed itinerary, must be submitted to the DMW during the documentation of crew employment contracts or before their deployment.
The same order also mandates that Filipino seafarers listed as crew members onboard the vessels must also sign the affirmation letter acknowledging their vessel will not enter the Red Sea or Gulf of Aden;
The affirmation letter executed by the LMAs with the seafarers' consent, according to the DMW, must be uploaded to the DMW’s Online Processing System for Sea-based (DOPS-Sea) together with the processed Standard Employment Contract (SEC).
“This stringent measure ensures a transparent process, fostering accountability and compliance with the new safety protocols,” the DMW statement read.