President Marcos Vows Support For 20 Filipino Mariners Affected By Red Sea Attacks

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has ordered the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) to provide comprehensive support to the families of 20 Filipino mariners affected by attacks in the Red Sea.

Three Filipino seafarers were on board the container ship MSC Aries when it was seized by Iranian authorities in the Red Sea. I Photo: U.S. Navy

“We are handholding the families as directed by the President,” DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac told reporters in a press conference in Quezon City on Saturday. Three Filipino seafarers were on board the container ship MSC Aries when it was seized by Iranian authorities in the Red Sea.

Additionally, the vessel Galaxy Leader had 17 Filipino seamen when it was attacked by Houthi rebels, also in the Red Sea.

Cacdac assured that the Filipino seafarers are safe and sound, adding that the DMW has been in constant communication with the families of the sailors.

He mentioned that the three Filipino crew members of MSC Aries are expected to return home soon, while the 17 Filipinos on Galaxy Leader remain in stable condition and are regularly communicating with their loved ones in the Philippines.

Cacdac commended the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) for its unwavering support in ensuring the safety of the Filipino seafarers and its close coordination with Iranian authorities and the local manning agency regarding the three Filipino seafarers on MSC Aries.

In another development, Cacdac noted that the DMW is continually implementing a PhP2.8 billion action fund intended for around 88,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who have sought assistance from the government’s Assistance to National Program since August 2022, 2023.