1 dead 3 injured in a Cargo Ship Fire

Authorities said that a cargo/container ship operated by Lorenzo Shipping was en route to Cebu from Tagoloan when it caught fire on Sunday morning in the seas near Talisay City. According to the agency, the Philippine Coast Guard reported one death and three injuries among the 20 crew members of MV General Romulo. Nelson Polvorosa, […]

Good News: One year validity extension to expiring and expired accreditation certificates

   MANILA – Validity of expiring and expired accreditation certificates of domestic shipping operators and maritime enterprises was granted a one-year extension, the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) announced yesterday, 07 April 2022. The directive, which was published on 07 April 2022, takes effect on the date of issuance, 01 April 2022, pending the crafting of […]

Ship chandler says captains, crew help pirates carry out attacks on ships

The publication Daily Trend reported yesterday that Nigerian Licensed Ship Chandlers Association President Dr. Martin Enebeli revealed that attacks on ships on the country’s waters have increased significantly due to over 10,000 seafarers left unemployed after the Nigerian Navy clamped down on local shipowners and killing their businesses. Dr. Enebeli  said more than 200 indigenous ships […]

875 foreign ships changed crew in 4 Ph ports – DOTr

In President Duterte’s Address to the Nation, Secretary Tugade reported that over 14,000 seafarers had disembarked or joined their ships in the ports of Manila, Capinpin in Bataan, Subic Freeport and Cebu. In addition to these, the secretary also announced that the one stop shop (OSS) centers that the department had setup in three airports:  Clark, […]

DOLE pivots on DOLE AKAP program

In yesterday’s VCafe@DOLE forum, International Labor Affairs Bureau (ILAB) Director Alice Visperas explained that OFWs would still have to apply to be able to avail themselves of the cash aid under the DOLE-AKAP program. “Sa pamamagitan po ng online application ng OWWA, mag-a-apply na po sila (OFWs) online habang nasa ibang bansa pa sila bago […]

OWWA will continue to pay returning seafarers’ food and hotels

During yesterday’s V Café@DOLE forum, OWWA Administrator Hans Leo Cacdac assured the manning community and recruitment agencies that government, through OWWA, would continue to pay for food and hotel accommodation of repatriated sea-based and land-based workers. Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, who was also at the forum, said that OWWA would speed up payment to hotels […]

DOLE to give $200 or P10,000 cash aid to repatriated OFWs at the airport

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III announced this afternoon’s V Café@DOLE forum that the one-time cash aid would be given to repatriated OFWs as soon as they arrived at the airports. “Bakit pa natin hihintaying mag-apply sa atin ang OFW na beneficiaries ng AKAP?  We have the record; we know they are OFWs “Pagni-repatriate natin sila, ibig […]

Gov’t looks into reports of overpricing in Capinpin Port

Recent report published in newspapers and some were posted in Facebook claimed that the Bureau of Customs (BOC), Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ), Bureau of Immigration (BI) and other service providers are raking in income from so-called facilitations fees. Figures presented in these reports showed that costs related to crew change operations is higher by about […]

OSS-Manila lifts suspension of crew change operations

The OSS Secretariat has informed the Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ), the Bureau of Immigration (BI), and the RT-PCR service provider, First Aide Diagnostics, that crew change operations should commence again today, November 2, 2020. In connection with this, the OSS at the Port of Manila has advised the BOQ, BI, First Aide Diagnostics, licensed manning […]