Filipino seafarers banned from sailing along Red Sea, Gulf of Aden amid Houthi attacks

Transcript

00:00These twin bodies of water represent terror, death, and destruction on the high seas,

00:05much like Sila and Charybdis in Greek mythology.

00:09Hence, the Department of Migrant Workers has ruled out any more Filipino seafarers

00:13from navigating or sailing these waters, ruled by unforgiving Huthi rebels,

00:18who indiscriminately open fire on ships that pass these waters.

00:24Our Noel Talakay lets us in on the DMW finally declaring the Red Sea

00:29and Gulf of Aden as no man's waters in this report.

00:35No more Filipino seafarers to sail in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

00:40This was pronounced by the Department of Migrant Workers or DMW this afternoon.

00:46In a virtual press conference, Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Kakdak said

00:51they came up with this new regulation after several incidents of Huthi attacks

00:57in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

01:00We therefore will no longer process or allow the boarding of seafarers on board

01:06these three principals or ship owners who had been the subject of an attack.

01:10We will take action with respect to the principals or ship owners

01:16who had been involved in at least the three major attacks, Galaxy Leader, True Confidence, and Chutor.

01:26The agency has been coordinating with the Philippine Army, Philippine Coast Guard,

01:30Marina, and the Department of Foreign Affairs or DFA to ask guidance on maritime security.

01:37For the seafarers who are on board, the ship owners should submit to the DMW a threat and

01:44risk assessment before entering the Red Sea or Gulf of Aden,

01:49and this can be reviewed by the AFP, PCG, Marina, and DFA.

01:55We will have proper coordination with the security experts in terms of helping us out in assessing

02:03these threat and risk assessments.

02:05To recall, there were several Huthi attacks have been recorded.

02:09Last year, Galaxy Leader were in until this month.

02:13They haven't yet released the 17 Pinoy seafarers.

02:18Last March, the MV True Confidence were in.

02:21Two Filipino seafarers are still missing.

02:24This June, one Filipino seafarer was also still missing, a worker in the MV Chutor,

02:31and in the MV Transworld Navigator where 27 seafarers were affected.

02:37We continue to hold and are still in direct communication with the family.

02:45Early this year, the International Bargaining Forum issued a list of high-risk and warlike areas

02:52to include the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

02:55Noel Talacay from the National TV Network for New and Better Philippines.