Philippines investigates deployment of crew in Strait of Hormuz

The Philippines is probing whether rules governing the deployment of Filipino seafarers to hazardous areas were adhered to after a fatal attack on a crude oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz. The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) is assessing the dispatch of the Filipino crew aboard the Saudi-flagged MV Sidr, which was targeted on August 31, resulting in the deaths of two Filipino seafarers.

The surviving 14 crew members returned to the Philippines on September 8 and have been welcomed by DMW and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) officials. DMW Secretary Hans Cacdac disclosed that the department is investigating the shipowner and licensed manning agency's compliance with regulations on deploying Filipino seafarers in high-risk and warlike zones.

This includes verifying safe transit, avoiding high-risk areas, granting the right to refuse sailing, and ensuring risk assessments and safety measures were in place. Cacdac pledged full support for the returning workers, emphasizing their safety and benefits under government programs. The Philippines is also monitoring four vessels in the Black Sea carrying 82 Filipino seafarers, with all but 12 safe.

The DMW has banned Filipino seafarers from deploying on Northern Black Sea vessels, classifying it as an area of full-scale international armed conflict. Coordination with foreign and defense departments continues to assess security in the Strait of Hormuz and the Black Sea.