MARINA reaches out to seafarers onboard for Nat’l Maritime Week
In a virtual press briefing yesterday, Engr. Ramon Hernandez, director of the Shipyard Regulation Service of MARINA, presented the various activities during the NMW which starts on Monday, September 21 to Sunday September 27, 2020. This is only the first time seafarers onboard will have the opportunity to participate in NMW activities since most of […]
Crewing exec bats for strong seafarers’ recognition as key workers in Maritime Week 2020
One of the main objectives of the yearly celebration is to highlight the important role of seafarers in society and help develop a well deserved appreciation of the seafaring profession. The ongoing pandemic however still showed the utter lack of appreciation of the essential role of seafarers by not only by the mainstream society, but […]
PRRD directs DFA to validate Filipino seafarers trapped in the high seas
In the latest President Duterte’s Address to the Nation on Monday, Sept. 14, the President said he received reports that there were Filipino seafarers who have been onboard international ships for two or three years who could not come home due to COVID-19. The Chief Executive said: “Karamihan nito mga naiwan sa barko. They were […]
Rescue operations will continue for 36 Filipino crew – Bello
Labor Secretary Silvester Bello III assured families of the officers and crew of Gulf Livestock 1 that search and rescue (SAR) operations would continue. The Labor chief made the assurance during an interview with Kabayan Noli de Castro this morning after Japan Coast Guard announced last night that it would stop SAR operations for the […]
IFC reports increased incidence of theft against ships in Manila Bay
The Singapore Navy’s INFORMATION FUSION CENTER (IFC) reported a “recent increase of theft, robbery and piracy incidents in Manila Bay.” IFC reported 10 incidents: 2 sea robberies, 6 sea thefts, and two attempted actions from January to August 2020 in both Manila and Batangas Bay, Philippines. In 2019, there were only 2 such incidents and […]
Drop in remittances to worsen economic contraction
Economists estimated that the nation’s gross domestic product would shrink by 8 %, worse than the earlier projected 4% drop. Positive growth rate would only experience next year. Fitch described the declining remittances as an “economic shock” that, it said, would erode consumer purchasing power in a country where 70% of the economy is driven […]
Manning agency of Gulf Livestock 1 pleads for help
In an interview this morning with GMA News, Elias delos Reyes, president of Korpil Shipmamagement, said the agency had written to President Duterte through Senator Bong Go to express his appeal “Parang weird ang hinihiling namin, pero ginagawan natin ng paraan kahit nakakahiya ang hinhiling namin. Baka lang naman makatulong baka lang naman,” pleaded De […]
Gov’t allocates extra P6B for DOLE AKAP program
Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III disclosed that the government has given his department a fresh P6 billion for the DOLE-Abot Kamay sa Pagtulong (AKAP) programs for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Labor chief was the guest at the weekly Usapang CQ program on Facebook Live hosted by veteran journalist Malou Talosig.He explained […]
Train only at MTIs with approved blended learning programs, MARINA tells seafarers
The warning came following the issuance of MARINA Advisory No. 2020-59 on August 10, 2020 that provides additional guidelines on the conduct of training programs via ‘Blended Learning’ mode during General Community Quarantine (GCQ). The advisory paves the way for MTIs and assessment centers (ACs), which are authorized to conduct STCW Mandatory Training Courses, to […]
Bayanihan 2 suspends loan payments for 2 months
Thousands of seafarers, who have taken loans for their cars, house, and lot or condominium units, remain idle simply because they cannot be deployed by their manning companies due to a host of problems caused by the pandemic. Many are now having problems financially because of the unexpected prolonged vacation of six months or more; […]
