DMW to aid kin of missing seafarer in Houthi-hit ship

The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has assured the family of the missing Filipino engineer of MV Tutor that they will get assistance from the agency, following the United States' announcement that the Filipino sailor is dead. 

In Sandra Aguinaldo’s "24 Oras" report on Wednesday, the family of the missing seafarer met with DMW Secretary Hans Cacdac, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration Arnell Ignacio and Sea Gate Navigation Corp. president Desiree Page.

“Wala muna topic about anong entitlement ng family doon muna kami mag focus sa pag retrieve muna,” Page said.

(We will not discuss the topic of the entitlement of the family yet. We will focus on the retrieval of the Filipino seafarer.)

They also talked about the status of MV Tudor and the update on the search of the Filipino sailor amid the reports that the ship possibly had already sunk in the Red Sea. https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/world/910486/houthis-believed-to-have-sunk-mv-tutor-in-the-red-sea-ukmto-says/story/

“We are still confirming kung ano ang status ng barko. As it stands, we are still searching for our seafarer. Until he is found, hindi natin maconfirm ang exact status nya. He is missing,” Cacdac said.

(We are still confirming the status of the ship. As it stands, we are still searching for our seafarer. Until he is found, we cannot confirm his exact status. He is still missing.)

“Ano man ang kanilang balita, katabi nila ang pamahalaan. Naka ready tayo for any development,” Ignacio said.

(No matter what news we will receive, the government will be by their side. We are ready for any development.)

The family of the missing seafarers who went to the OWWA office refused to make statements.

Cacdac is set to meet with representatives of ship owners and seafarers groups to discuss the safety of Filipino sailors in the Red Sea and Gulp of Aden.

The agency is also studying if there is a need to suspend the deployment of seafarers in dangerous areas.

“We just need to consult the social partners. May proper abiso lang sa kanila at discussion kung ano ang courses of action. Kung ano man ang strengthened measure natin will apply doon sa nandoon na at paalis pa lang kasi safety ang pinag uusapan,” Cacdac said.

(We just need to consult the social partners. There will be proper notice and discussion on what our courses of action will be. Whatever our strengthened measure will be, we will apply it to those who have sailed and are about to sail since it is their safety we are talking about.)

In a Super Radyo dzBB interview, Cacdac said the search operation for the missing Filipino seafarer will start in the engine room where he is believed to be working when Houti attacked the vessel.

Meanwhile, 21 Filipino seafarers were rescued and returned to  the Philippines on Monday. — Mariel Celine Serquiña/LDF, GMA Integrated News