THE Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) on Thursday reaffirmed its commitment to supporting multiagency efforts to safeguard Filipino fishermen against labor exploitation and human trafficking aboard foreign vessels.
Research from Sallie Yea, associate professor at Charles Sturt University, found that gender stereotypes associated with men discourage Filipino fishermen from reporting experiences of abuse in their line of work.
The study documented labor violations experienced by Filipino fishermen, which include unpaid or underpaid wages, contract substitution, physical abuse, prolonged working hours, and inadequate food and drinking water aboard fishing vessels.
Yea’s findings show that of the 64 fishermen surveyed in the study, 94 percent reported experiencing nonpayment or underpayment of wages, with only three individuals recovering their unpaid earnings.
Yea also found that once the fishermen are deployed, they experience isolation at sea and limited access to assistance, as well as struggles to file complaints against their employers.
The findings also showed the deceptive recruitment practices targeted poor communities, including people with little or no maritime experience.
As a core member of the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking, the CFO emphasized the urgency of reinforcing public awareness, oversight and survivor support services to combat the abuses faced by male migrant workers at sea.
The CFO said it is working with other government agencies to tighten recruitment oversight, improve transparency in international fishing operations, and make reporting, compensation and recovery services more accessible for trafficking survivors.
Key recommendations also include cross-checking foreign fishing vessel records against known labor abuse cases, holding seafood supply chains accountable and considering the ratification of the STCW-F maritime training convention.
The CFO vowed to maintain Non-Resident Filipinos’ ties to the Philippines while helping them contribute their expertise, networks and resources to national development.
