MANILA – The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) urged Filipino seafarers to avoid deployment to the Red Sea, unless “absolutely necessary” for their livelihood.
In an advisory released on Friday, the DFA reminded Filipino seafarers to exercise prudent choice and their “right-to-refuse sailing” in the Red Sea due to ongoing escalation of conflict in the region.
“This situation has worsened due in part to the conflict escalation in the Red Sea that poses a clear and present danger to all Filipino seafarers working in the area,” the advisory read.
“The DFA therefore urges Filipino seafarers to exercise prudent choice and their 'right-to-refuse sailing' in the Red Sea. Philippine nationals should avoid the area altogether unless absolutely necessary for their livelihood," the DFA added.
The advisory was issued after Houthi rebels attacked a Greek owned oil tanker, MT Sounion, off the Yemeni port of Hodeidah.
According to the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), 23 Filipino crew members on board were successfully rescued, and immediate repatriation of the seafarers will be arranged by the DFA, DMW and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration.
The DMW declared the southern section of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, with boundary commencing from the Yemini coast border stretching across the Eritrea coast as having “war-like” conditions and were included in the International Bargaining Forum (IBF) list.
Under Advisory No. 12-2024, the DMW said the Warlike Operations Areas are more dangerous for Filipino seafarers.
Data from the DMW shows that 25 percent of the 1.5 million seafarers deployed worldwide are Filipinos.
