TWENTY-TWO Filipino seafarers have safely arrived in the Philippines last Sunday, Aug. 30, following another series of tragic bombing of merchant vessels in the Black Sea.
The seafarers arrived aboard Turkish Airlines at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport where they were welcomed by representatives from the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), and the Manila International Airport Authority Medical Team, which provided immediate medical assistance.
Upon arrival, the seafarers also received Aksyon Fund financial assistance under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s Uplift initiative to address the immediate needs of distressed OFWs.
In welcoming the returning seafarers, Officer-in-Charge Assistant Secretary for Sea-Based OFW Concerns Augusto San Diego III of the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) stressed the importance of awareness and exercising seafarers’ rights, emphasizing that Filipino seafarers must not hesitate to refuse to sail on routes that may pose a threat to their safety. He also urged them to seek assistance from proper authorities when necessary.
“Isama ninyo sa inyong mga panalangin ang ating mga kababayang seafarers na patuloy na naglalayag sa mga lugar na apektado ng giyera. Higit sa lahat, ipanalangin natin na matapos na ang digmaan at matigil na ang karahasan na patuloy na naglalagay sa panganib sa buhay ng ating mga seafarers,” San Diego said, urging the crew to remember their fellow Filipino seafarers still serving in high-risk and warlike areas and expressed hope for an end to the armed conflicts that continue to endanger lives at sea.
Meanwhile, the Filipino captain also expressed appreciation for the foreign security officer aboard the vessel, whose timely warning of the incoming attack gave the crew enough time to move to the upper deck and take precautionary measures before the missile struck.
The said seafarers were aboard the Liberian-flagged bulk carrier M/V Antonia S when it was struck by a missile last Aug. 19 while berthed at Chornomorsk Port, Ukraine. The crew were immediately evacuated by local authorities to a designated shelter within the port where they remained safe until arrangements for accommodation and repatriation where made.
A day prior to the attack, M/V Antonia S’ sister ship, the M/V Anna S, was also hit by a missile near Novorossisyk, Ukraine. It was manned by 20 Filipinos and a Romanian captain. All seafarers were safely evacuated to another merchant vessel.
After returning to the Philippines, the seafarers of M/V Antonia S will undergo medical and psychological assessments arranged by their licensed manning agency to help address their physical and psychosocial needs following the traumatic incident.
Following the directive of the president, the DMW also reminded licensed manning agencies and their accredited principals to continuously monitor the welfare of deployed Filipino seafarers, observe required safety precautions, and comply with established protocols for vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
OFWs facing crisis or distress situations may seek assistance through the DMW Aksyon Fund under the government’s Uplift Initiative by visiting or contacting the DMW Central Office, the nearest DMW Regional Office or Migrant Workers Office (MWO), or through https://dmw.gov.ph/contact-us.
