Pinoy seafarers told to follow basic safeguards against pirates
MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has instructed the local manning agencies employing Filipino seafarers to implement basic safeguards in anticipation of pirate hijackings in African waters.
Esteban Conejos Jr., DFA undersecretary for migrant workers’ affairs, told reporters on Friday that the following measures must be taken by manning agencies:
● Ships should not veer away from identified “safe lanes" in African waters, and
● All vessels go on a convoy when passing through the narrow gap in the Gulf of Aden.
Conejos also reported that the DFA is making a presentation to the combined navy task force of the US, Europe, Canada and Pakistan to intensify its patrol in the areas which the UN Security council permitted other naval vessels of the world to patrol against piracy.
The United Nations Security Council last June issued a resolution authorizing a series of decisive measures to combat acts of piracy and armed robbery against vessels off the coast of Somalia.
Under the terms of resolution 1816, Somalia’s Transitional Federal Government would allow other countries, for a period of six months, to enter the country's territorial waters and use "all necessary means" to repress acts of piracy and armed robbery at sea, in a manner consistent with relevant provisions of international law.
“We have even given our seafarers certain basic language courses in Somalia like how to say ‘no,’ ‘yes,’ ‘eat,’ and ‘water,’" Conejos said.
As the number of abducted Filipino seamen climbed to 80 on Wednesday, engineer Nelson Ramirez, president of the United Filipino Seafarers (UFS), proposed equipping maritime workers with high-powered guns to deter pirates from hijacking vessels.
International law prohibits the carrying of guns in commercial vessels. Ship captains are trained to shoot pirates only with a fire hose.
Conejos said the DFA is coordinating with the Overseas Workers’ Welfare Administration (OWWA) to assist the families of the abducted seafarers and provide them with psycho-social services if needed.
“Our approach is always two-fold: one, we address the situation on the ground and second, we try to take care of the families," he added.
Meanwhile, Conejos seemed to backpedal on the proposed deployment ban to Somalia, noting the difficulty of implementing such measures on the maritime industry.
Unlike their land-based counterparts, seafarers are deployed to different areas, thus making it difficult to impose a particular ban on a country of destination.
Labor Undersecretary Rosalinda Baldoz said the implementation of such deployment ban would depend on how the DFA presents its security report before the POEA governing board.
Baldoz said the DOLE as well as the POEA would consider such measure “if the security risk is so high and no protection is in place for Filipino seafarers."
Senator Jinggoy Estrada, who chairs the Congressional Oversight Committee on Labor and Employment, supports the deployment ban on Filipino seafarers.
“If we are concerned with the safety of our OFWs, (then) I’m for the deployment ban to Somalia," he said.
Filipinos make up one-third of the world’s manning power, making them the most vulnerable to pirate abductions among the world's seafarers. Last year, about 300,000 Filipino seamen were deployed overseas. -GMANews.TV
Esteban Conejos Jr., DFA undersecretary for migrant workers’ affairs, told reporters on Friday that the following measures must be taken by manning agencies:
● Ships should not veer away from identified “safe lanes" in African waters, and
● All vessels go on a convoy when passing through the narrow gap in the Gulf of Aden.
Conejos also reported that the DFA is making a presentation to the combined navy task force of the US, Europe, Canada and Pakistan to intensify its patrol in the areas which the UN Security council permitted other naval vessels of the world to patrol against piracy.
The United Nations Security Council last June issued a resolution authorizing a series of decisive measures to combat acts of piracy and armed robbery against vessels off the coast of Somalia.
Under the terms of resolution 1816, Somalia’s Transitional Federal Government would allow other countries, for a period of six months, to enter the country's territorial waters and use "all necessary means" to repress acts of piracy and armed robbery at sea, in a manner consistent with relevant provisions of international law.
“We have even given our seafarers certain basic language courses in Somalia like how to say ‘no,’ ‘yes,’ ‘eat,’ and ‘water,’" Conejos said.
As the number of abducted Filipino seamen climbed to 80 on Wednesday, engineer Nelson Ramirez, president of the United Filipino Seafarers (UFS), proposed equipping maritime workers with high-powered guns to deter pirates from hijacking vessels.
International law prohibits the carrying of guns in commercial vessels. Ship captains are trained to shoot pirates only with a fire hose.
Conejos said the DFA is coordinating with the Overseas Workers’ Welfare Administration (OWWA) to assist the families of the abducted seafarers and provide them with psycho-social services if needed.
“Our approach is always two-fold: one, we address the situation on the ground and second, we try to take care of the families," he added.
Meanwhile, Conejos seemed to backpedal on the proposed deployment ban to Somalia, noting the difficulty of implementing such measures on the maritime industry.
Unlike their land-based counterparts, seafarers are deployed to different areas, thus making it difficult to impose a particular ban on a country of destination.
Labor Undersecretary Rosalinda Baldoz said the implementation of such deployment ban would depend on how the DFA presents its security report before the POEA governing board.
Baldoz said the DOLE as well as the POEA would consider such measure “if the security risk is so high and no protection is in place for Filipino seafarers."
Senator Jinggoy Estrada, who chairs the Congressional Oversight Committee on Labor and Employment, supports the deployment ban on Filipino seafarers.
“If we are concerned with the safety of our OFWs, (then) I’m for the deployment ban to Somalia," he said.
Filipinos make up one-third of the world’s manning power, making them the most vulnerable to pirate abductions among the world's seafarers. Last year, about 300,000 Filipino seamen were deployed overseas. -GMANews.TV
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