Black Sea ban on Filipino seafarers stays amid attacks on vessels

The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) will keep its temporary ban on deploying Filipino seafarers to the northern Black Sea amid the continuing attacks on vessels in the area.

In an interview on Friday, Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac stressed the dangers faced by crew members passing through the area.

“Ang basehan, yung pinakadahilan kung bakit natin in-impose yung directive in the first place, the DND, Department of National Defense, and Department of Foreign Affairs natin ay maliwanag ang kanilang security assessment. Full-scale international armed conflict ang nangyayari ngayon sa Northern Black Sea, palitan ng putukan at atake between Russia and Ukraine (The basis, the main reason why we imposed the directive in the first place, is that our Department of National Defense and Department of Foreign Affairs made a clear security assessment. What is happening now in the northern Black Sea is a full-scale international armed conflict, an exchange of gunfire and attacks between Russia and Ukraine),” Cacdac said.

“At malinaw na hindi pinipili ang mga barkong inaatake. Hindi tinatanong muna whether or not may Pilipinong tripulante basta na lamang aatake (And it is clear that the ships being attacked are not being chosen. They don't even ask whether or not there are Filipino crew members, they just attack),” he added.

On July 31, the DMW issued Advisory No. 50, series of 2026, reiterating protective measures for Filipino seafarers affected by the security situation in the northern Black Sea.

Cacdac said the deployment restriction was based on security assessments from the Department of National Defense and Department of Foreign Affairs, which consider the northern Black Sea an area of full-scale international armed conflict.

He noted that the directive will undergo a 15-day review, with the DMW set to seek updated security assessments from concerned government agencies.

The International Bargaining Forum and the International Transport Workers’ Federation continue to designate the northern Black Sea as a high-risk area (HRA) and warlike operations area due to the persistent hostilities and threats to commercial shipping that pass through the area.

To date, he said that about 281 Filipino seafarers on 20 ships have been involved in various attacks.

Of these, he said that 200 have returned back to the Philippines, including two of the three fatalities, and all the 15 Filipino seafarers injured during the attacks.

He added that another 35 seafarers are also awaiting plane tickets, while 46 remain on board their vessels.

The remains of the third fatality are still in Romania and expected to be brought home within the week.

Meanwhile, Cacdac said that one seafarer remains missing.

He assured that the government is providing affected seafarers with welfare, accommodation, transportation and psychosocial assistance.

Families of the three fatalities are also receiving support, including scholarship assistance for their children.

In line with the protective measures imposed, he said the DMW is also checking whether shipowners complied with reporting requirements and respected seafarers’ right to refuse sailing in high-risk areas. (PNA)