ROXAS TO GOV'T: PROTECT RP FILIPINO SEAMEN RP TEAM NEEDED IN SOMALIA; INSURANCE, ARMS TRAINING PUSHED

Liberal President Senator Mar Roxas said the government must work to immediately provide adequate protection for Filipino seamen who ply dangerous waters, particularly in Africa, where piracy remains rampant.

"Pagdating sa pagprotekta ng ating taong bayan, hindi pwedeng basta asahan ang mga may ari ng barko, o ang gobyerno sa ibang bansa. Kailangan natin silang kausapin at makuha ang kanilang kooperasyon, pero ang gobyerno natin ang may responsibilidad sa ating mamamayan," he said, noting that the matter is already subject of United Nations Security Council Resolution No. 1816, which has condemned the acts of piracy.

Roxas called on the government to form a crisis team to be stationed in Somalia and coordinate with its government in providing protection for the ships that pass the piracy-prone routes.

He said the Department of Labor and Employment must take initiative to give proper firearms training to seamen for them not to fall prey to pirates such as those in the Gulf of Aden, an important trade route between Yemen and Somalia.

It has been reported that a Greek ship with 17 Filipino seamen aboard was hijacked on Sunday in the gulf. Last week, a Hong Kong ship whose crew included two Filipinos was seized by pirates in the same area, and the hostages have yet to be released.

Roxas said assistance to seamen could be funded through the allocations to the Overseas Workers and Welfare Administration in the national budget. However, Roxas stressed, the agency must also be aware of the laws and regulations of each country traveled and the flag registry of a vessel.

"The government should recognize that piracy in the seas is a persistent problem which puts in danger the lives of Filipino OFWs. On the other hand, an outright ban on Filipino sailors' travel through crucial waterways may put many out of work. It's best to equip our OFWs with the means of protecting themselves, if the situation calls for it," he said.

Apart from sufficient arms and training, Roxas stressed the need to provide insurance for the seamen and their families in the Philippines, as well as to fight for increased hazard pay for the seafarers.

"Ang hirap-hirap na ngang lumayo sa sariling pamilya para magtrabaho, tapos nilalagay nila ang sarili sa delikadong sitwasyon. Nararapat lang na maitaas ang kanilang sweldo. At dapat kahit anong mangyari, ang kanilang pamilya ay bibigyang sapat na tulong," he said.