President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to help stranded Filipino seafarers stuck on their ships due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Duterte said that some of them have been infected by COVID-19.
“There are Filipinos, itong mga seafarers, karamihan ito nai-stranded, naiwan sa barko. And they were not allowed to dock or magdiskarga ng intended cargoes nila for a certain destination because of COVID. And they were contaminated, and some who were not escaped, and others who stayed in the ships, and just bear it all. Ito yung mga Pilipino na two years, three years, ‘di makauwi,” Duterte said.
The President added that some foreign ports do not allow these seafarers to disembark due to the threat of COVID-19.
“Now I would like to direct the Foreign Affairs Department… Kindly check and do a validation report kung mayroon bang mga Pilipino na na-stranded sa inyong lugar, in the area of your responsibility. I’d like you to check, go around if there are Filipinos who are stranded in the different ships,” the President said.
In a tweet on Tuesday, DFA Secretary Teddyboy Locsin Jr. said that he has ordered all foreign posts to check on stranded seafarers.
“Mayor DU [Duterte] brought up a topic we only lightly touched on yesterday: stranded seafarers in countries w/o PH embassy or honorary consul. I want all the data and send the nearest ambassador himself/herself to get them out and home. Fix up calls NOW with the countries’ FMs,” Locsin said.
Some 11 seafarers have been appealing to the government after being stuck in China for six months.
Some 16 seafarers aboard a ship in West Africa also called on government’s help because some of them tested positive for COVID-19.
