MANILA, Philippines — Families of two Filipino seafarers killed in a security incident involving a Saudi-operated oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz will receive government assistance, compensation and other benefits due to them, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said.
The M/V SIDR, where the two Filipinos were on board, was traveling along the Strait of Hormuz on Aug. 31 when it was attacked.
DMW Secretary Hans Leo J. Cacdac directed concerned offices to provide immediate and appropriate assistance to the affected crew and their families following President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s directive to ensure the safety and welfare of Filipinos affected by the ongoing security situation in the Middle East.
“We continue to remind shipowners to be mindful of the safety of our seafarers on board and to keep them out of harm’s way,” Cacdac said.
DMW said it is coordinating with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), Philippine Embassy and Migrant Workers Office (MWO) in Oman, along with other concerned government agencies, the vessel's principal, licensed manning agency and relevant authorities to facilitate the earliest possible repatriation of the Filipino crew.
Arrangements are also being made for the proper handling and repatriation of the remains of the two seafarers.
DMW said families of the deceased would receive immediate assistance, including benefits, compensation, insurance proceeds and other entitlements due under their employment contracts and applicable Philippine and international maritime regulations.
Saudi Arabia's national shipping company Bahri confirmed that SIDR was involved in a security incident at about 11:40 p.m. local time on Aug. 31 while transiting the Strait of Hormuz. Bahri also confirmed that two Filipino crew members died in the incident.
DMW said that it continued to monitor the remaining Filipino crew members and coordinate with Philippine government posts and relevant authorities in the region to ensure their safe and immediate return to the country.
Cacdac assured the families of the affected seafarers that the government would continue to mobilize available resources to assist them and ensure that no affected Filipino seafarer or family is left without government support.
The latest statement follows DMW Advisory 53, Series of 2026, issued Aug. 28, in which the agency reminded shipowners and licensed manning agencies to respect Filipino seafarers' right to refuse voyages through high-risk maritime areas, including the Strait of Hormuz.
“We are disallowing deployment to the extent that a seafarer exercises the right to refuse to sail. That right must be respected,” Cacdac said.
DMW also requires shipowners undertaking voyages through areas affected by conflict or heightened security risks to conduct risk assessments, implement appropriate security measures, consider vessel escorts where necessary and comply with reporting requirements.
Cacdac said that DMW would review whether these safeguards were properly observed as part of its investigation into the SIDR incident.
The identities of the two deceased seafarers are being withheld out of respect for their families and until appropriate notification and coordination procedures are completed, the agency said.
Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro in a press briefing on Thursday said the President condoled with the families of the slain Filipinos.
"First and foremost, the President and the administration express their deepest condolences to the families of the two seafarers from Cabuyao, Laguna, and Daanbantayan, Cebu," Castro said.
"At hindi po pababayaan ng gobyerno, ng pamahalaan yung pamilyang naiwan ng dalawa nating kababayan (And the government will not neglect the families left behind by our two countrymen)," she said.
"The President has immediately ordered that assistance be provided to the families of our two deceased compatriots, ensuring they receive everything they need, including the appropriate benefits, compensation, and insurance proceeds due to them," she added.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Embassy in Iran said that it has completed the repatriation of 15 Filipino seafarers from the two vessels, namely MV Epaminondas (10 Filipinos) and MV MSC Francesca (5 Filipinos) seized by Iranian military in April 2026.
The embassy facilitated the safe disembarkation and repatriation of four Filipino seafarers aboard the MV MSC Francesca, following their request for assistance amid prolonged situation at sea and the continuing volatile security situation in the Strait of Hormuz.
"The seafarers arrived in the Philippines on August 27 and have since been reunited with their families," the embassy posted on Facebook.
The embassy reiterated its commitment to providing timely and appropriate assistance to distressed Filipinos in Iran as well as safeguarding the welfare of Filipino seafarers affected by the evolving geopolitical situation in the region.
