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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Tulfo to DMW: Consider deployment ban of Pinoy seafarers on Red Sea routes

Tulfo to DMW: Consider deployment ban of Pinoy seafarers on Red Sea routes

Published Jul 10, 2025 11:46 am

At A Glance

  • Senator Raffy Tulfo urged the Department of Migrant Workers to consider banning the deployment of Filipino seafarers on ships passing through the Red Sea following a Houthi rebel attack on the Eternity C, which had 21 Filipino crew members onboard, as the government works to verify their condition and provide assistance.
Due to the series of attacks on ships in the Red Sea over the past two years, Senator Raffy Tulfo said that the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) should consider banning the deployment of Filipino seafarers to ships passing through the area and instead assign them to vessels taking safer sea routes.
Senator Raffy Tulfo (Senate PRIB photo)
Senator Raffy Tulfo (Senate PRIB photo)
Tulfo said this as he expressed concern over the reported attack by Houthi rebels on the Greek-owned bulk carrier Eternity C, which had several Filipino seafarers onboard while it was sailing in the Red Sea near the coast of Yemen on July 7.
According to reports from the European Union Operation Aspides and the private security firm Ambrey, the vessel was heading north toward the Suez Canal when the rebel group fired upon it from their small boats. The rebels also used drones loaded with explosives.
Tulfo said that he immediately coordinated with the DMW to determine the condition of the Filipino seafarers onboard the said ship.
According to Tulfo, DWM Sec. Hans Leo Cacdac stated that the vessel was deployed on a mission under the UN World Food Programme, carrying grain cargoes and en route to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, for refueling before it was attacked.
Cacdac said that 21 of the 22 crew members of Eternity C are Filipinos, including the captain. However, at present, there is still no official confirmation on how many were killed, injured, or missing.
This is currently being validated by the Philippine Defense Attaché in Bahrain in coordination with the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) and the ship’s principals, Cosmoship and LMA Status Maritime.
As a precautionary measure, the DMW has suspended LMA’s deployment of Filipino seafarers to their ships.
Tulfo instructed the DMW to continue their verification and investigation so that the government can immediately extend assistance to the seafarers in need and organize rescue operations to alleviate the concerns of the families of the Filipino crew members back home.
"Ang aksyon ng ating gobyerno ay magsisilbing pag-asa para sa mga nagaalalang pamilyang ng ating mga seafarer (The actions of our government will serve as a source of hope for the worried families of our seafarers)," he said.
Tulfo also promised to monitor developments regarding this incident continuously.

Related Tags

Red Sea Raffy Tulfo DMW Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Houthi
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