MANILA, Philippines — The country recorded an “all-time high” in the deployment of Filipino seafarers last year despite issues hounding the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, according to Department of Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac.
READ: PH seafarers barred from vessels going Red Sea, Gulf of Aden
“Noong 2023, naka-all-time high tayo. Lagpas sa limang daang libo kaya’t ang ating demand for maritime seafarers ay patuloy,” Cacdac said at the Saturday News Forum in Quezon City.
(In 2023, we reached an all-time high. It exceeded five hundred thousand, so our demand for maritime seafarers continues.)
This number leaves 30 percent of Filipino seafarers still awaiting deployment.
Last Wednesday, the Maritime Industry Authority of the Department of Transportation reported that the Philippines has been included in the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Whitelist.
READ: PH listed as major producer of seafarers by IMO
According to the DOTr, the country was recognized for its “commitment to maintaining high standards in maritime education, training, and certification for Filipino seafarers.”
It added that inclusion in the IMO Whitelist indicates that trained and certified Filipino seafarers meet the rigorous international standards set by the IMO Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping Convention.
IMO is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for the “global standard-setting authority for the safety, security, and environmental performance of international shipping.”