DESPITE the death of two Filipino seafarers, from a ‘security incident’ in the Strait of Hormuz earlier this week, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said it will not impose a blanket deployment ban in the waterway.
Instead, DMW Secretary Hans J. Cacdac said the government will continue to respect the right to refuse to sail of Filipino sailors onboard ships that will pass through the dangerous waters.
‘We are disallowing deployment to the extent there is refusal to sail by seafarers,’ he said in a hastily called online press conference last Wednesday.
He said the decision was in recognition of the economic challenges faced by the maritime industry from the ongoing tension in the Strait of Hormuz because of the ongoing war between the United States and Iran.
To reduce the risk of Filipino sailors in the Strait of Hormuz, DMW reminded the owners of their ships to comply with safety regulations.
‘We continue to remind our shipowners to be mindful of the DMW requirements, such as risk assessments, implementing appropriate security protocols, considering vessel escorts where necessary, and complying with reporting requirements and right to refuse sailing,’ Cacdac said.
Last Monday, the Saudi-flagged crude oil tanker SIDR, which was owned by BAHRI, caught fire after it was hit by an unidentified projectile while crossing the Strait of Hormuz.
The crew of the ship was able to contain the fire, but two of its 16 Filipino members died from the incident.
In a press briefing last Thursday, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. expressed his condolences to the families of the Filipino sailors who perished.
‘The President and the administration extend their condolences to the families of the two seafarers from Cabuyao, Laguna, and Daanbantayan, Cebu,’ she said.
She assured the families that the government will provide the necessary aid, compensation, and insurance proceeds to their families.
Cacdac said they are now working to repatriate the remains of the two sailors and the 14 other unharmed Filipino crew members of SIDR through Oman.
Since the Middle East crisis broke on February 28, a total of 31 ships with 421 seafarers have been attacked while passing through the Strait of Hormuz, DMW said.
Of the 421 sailors, 268 were repatriated by the government.