Due to the changing immigration regulations and ship policies, the Vatican has expressed its concern for a number of seafarers who are kept from going offshore when they dock on a foreign port.
Pope Francis lamented the working conditions of seamen and fishermen during his traditional Sunday blessing and prayed for the estimated 1.2 million seafarers in the world.
According to the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) 2016 statistics, 20% of Overseas Filipino Workers are based on sea.
Moreover, the Vatican is worried that Christians such as Filipino and Ukrainian seafarers are being denied contact with the clergy.
