By Marita Moaje
MANILA – The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) is closely monitoring Filipino seafarers, including a missing crew member, amid the escalating tensions in the Middle East.
Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said the DMW has monitored around 6,300 Filipino seafarers on board the ships navigating the designated high-risk areas in the Middle East.
“We are aware of the situation. We are aware of what happened. The DMW-OWWA (Overseas Workers Welfare Administration) teams have already visited the family. He is missing at the moment, and we are hoping that the search and rescue will yield positive results,” he said in a press briefing Sunday evening.
“At this stage, we are already with the family para makiisa sa pamilya (to show our support to the family), and we are also working closely with the authority that is conducting the search and rescue, which is essentially the Omani Navy, because that’s the area where the attack happened,” he added.
He said the DMW is monitoring at least three ships anchored in the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz.
Cacdac said the agency is gathering information and confirming exact figures from the Filipino crew members through group chats, and in close coordination with respective manning agencies and ship owners.
“So, 6,300 so far. But then again, we are closely watching at least three ships that are anchored in the Strait of Hormuz, Gulf of Oman area, and we are confirming the number,” he said.
On Sunday, Cacdac, in a Facebook post, said he has issued DMW Advisory No. 11, series of 2026, which aligns with the Warlike Operations Area Committee (WOAC) of the International Bargaining Forum (IBF), declaring the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, and Gulf of Oman as “Warlike Operations Areas”.
The IBF, established in 2003, is a mechanism that brings together maritime employers and seafarers’ unions or the International Transport-Workers’ Federation – ITF, to negotiate wages, benefits, and employment conditions under ITF special agreements.
It facilitates collective bargaining to set industry standards, including for high-risk areas.
“Dahil dito, mayroon pong “right to refuse sailing” ang mga tripulante bago pa man maglayag ang barko sa nasabing mga lugar (Because of this, the crew members have the “right to refuse sailing” before the ship departs for those areas),” Cadac said.
“May increased security arrangements din na kailangang isagawa ang shipowners. Doble po ang compensation sa mga naiwang pamilya (There are also increased security arrangements that shipowners need to implement. The compensation for the families left behind is doubled) in the event of death and disability,” he added.
Cacdac emphasized that contingency plans are in place for OFWs in conflict zones. (PNA)
