17 Filipino seafarers held hostage in Yemen back home


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Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Enrique Manalo welcomes the 17 Filipino seafarers held captive in Yemen during their arrival at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) on Jan. 23, 2025. (Photo courtesy of Enrique Manalo)

The 17 Filipino seafarers who were held hostage for over a year by Houthi rebels in Yemen arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 in Pasay City on Thursday, Jan. 23, via Oman Air flight 843 at 9:31 p.m.

Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Enrique Manalo and Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac led the officials who welcomed the seafarers who were described to be in "pleasant disposition" as they arrived in the country after 428 days in captivity.

"The long wait is over! Our prayers were answered!" Manalo said as he welcomed them at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1.

"I join the Filipino nation in welcoming back to the Philippines 17 Filipino hostages. Their pleasant disposition, resilience in spirit and strength as a team, saw them through this most difficult ordeal," he added.

The Foreign Affairs secretary said they "will continue to pray for their recovery, health and well-being."

 

Tears of joy

On Thursday morning, President Marcos announced that the Filipino hostages, along with the rest of the crew members of M/V Galaxy Leader, have been freed. He thanked the Sultan of Oman Haitham bin Tarik, his government, and all concerned Philippine government agencies in making the release of the seafarers possible.

“Their immediate repatriation and provision of comprehensive assistance and support were ordered by President Marcos under the one-team approach of ensuring better protection and welfare of the Filipino seafarers and their families," said Cacdac.

Some of the Filipino seafarers could not help but cry for joy after meeting their family members at the airport.

After their release, they immediately underwent a medical check-up.

 

Calls to stop attacks

The United States and Japan had called on the Houthis to permanently cease all attacks in the Red Sea and its surrounding waters.

While both countries welcomed the long-overdue release of the 25 crew members of the MV Galaxy Leader from the Philippines, Bulgaria, Mexico, Romania, and Ukraine, they urged the Houthis to stop the attacks.

"The Houthis have also stated that they will continue their unlawful attacks in the Red Sea against certain vessels associated with Israel.  The Houthis must permanently cease all attacks in the Red Sea and surrounding waterways without exception and immediately release all of the hundreds of detainees," the US Department of State said in a statement.

Japanese Press Secretary Kitamura Toshihiro also said that Japan, in cooperation with the G7 and other like-minded countries, has been urging the Houthis and working with other countries concerned to release the crew and the vessel itself.

"Japan reiterates that the right and freedoms of navigation must be respected and will continue its diplomatic efforts toward the cessation of attacks by the Houthis and the early release of the Galaxy Leader's vessel itself," Kitamura said.

 

Indomitable ‘spirit, strength’

Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Eduardo Jose De Vega confirmed that the 17 arrived safe and sound, and have finally reunited with their families who welcomed them at the airport.

“They seem alright but hindi basta basta na papauwiin sila kasi we have to see how they are talaga. Some were crying (but we cannot send them home immediately until we make sure how they really are),” he said.

“It was an all-of-government approach and I’d like to thank the Department of Migrant Workers because they had a very difficult job — (imagine) ‘yong patience nila (their patience) that they contacted the families for over one year, this is 428 days they were in touch with the families."

Philippine Ambassador to Oman Raul Hernandez shared that the release took place a few days after the Israel-Hamas ceasefire was announced.

After the seafarers were transferred to Oman, the Philippine Embassy immediately took custody of the 17 M/V Galaxy Leader crew members.

“They had, of course, a medical checkup. We reviewed the documents and immediately we booked them for this flight,” he said.

The Houthis released the 17, together with eight other foreign nationals, on Jan. 22 in “support of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza."

The Bahamas-flagged cargo vessel was sailing from Turkey to India when Houthi fighters boarded and seized it on Nov. 19, 2023.

At the time of the attack, the vessel was chartered by Japan's Nippon Yusen Kaisha.

 

DMW to provide financial, welfare assistance

The DMW on Thursday assured comprehensive financial and welfare assistance to the 17 Filipino seafarers recently freed by Houthi rebels upon their return to the country.

Cacdac said the department, in coordination with the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) and other government offices, will provide various forms of aid to the seafarers and their families.

“The DMW is committed to supporting our seafarers and their families as they recover from this traumatic experience. This includes financial assistance, livelihood support, and access to health and wellness programs,” Cacdac said in a media interview.

He thanked the seafarers' families for their trust in the Philippine government, which Cacdac said, strengthened the department’s efforts to continue working for their release.

“Their freedom brings immense relief to their families and reaffirms the collective efforts of the government to protect our dear Filipino seafarers,” he said.

DMW Director Jasmine Gapatan, during the Tahanan ng OFW radio program over Radyo Pilipinas, said the department would provide financial aid of PHP75,000 from its Aksyon Fund to each of the 17 seafarers, including medical, welfare, and psychosocial assistance.

She added that the DMW, through the National Reintegration Center for OFWs, would also provide livelihood and investment training.

Assistant Secretary for Sea-based OFW Concerns Jerome Pampolina, meanwhile, said the OWWA would also provide separate financial aid while the Department of Health and the Department of Social Welfare and Development would also extend other forms of assistance. (With PNA)