The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), and concerned manning agencies will further limit the deployment of Filipino seamen to ships and vessels sailing through known global hotspots following the Houthi attack, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Eduardo De Vega said on Tuesday.

De Vega pointed out that the directive came following the Houthi attack on March 6 that killed two Filipino seamen and injured several others.

The Barbados-flagged bulk carrier M/V True Confidence was attacked by Houthi rebels while navigating the sea lanes of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. At least 15 Filipino crew members were on board the vessel. Two Filipino seafarers were killed from the attack and their remains are yet to be recovered.

“What has happened is that, as you know, last March 6 was a tragic incident, but Houthi attacks occur practically daily on ships traversing the area. And this is the first we’ve had Filipino injuries or casualties, and that is because there have been no seafarers, no Filipino seafarers aboard the other ships which have been attacked by the Houthis,” De Vega said in a Palace briefing.

“That means the manning agencies are following directive of the government to limit the presence of Filipino seafarers or have them have the option to refuse,” De Vega pointed out.

De Vega added the DMW has issued advisory categorizing the “warlike and high-risk areas” last February 16 where the Filipino seafarers have to be given the right to refuse sailing with repatriation and compensation.

“Under such classification, (in) war-like operation area, the seafarers have to be given the right to refuse sailing with repatriation at company cost and compensation equal to two months wage, basic wage; or if they continue to go, they have to have a bonus equivalent to their basic wage or double compensation, obviously, also for death and disability benefits,” De Vega said.

De Vega also reported the 11 of the surviving Filipino seafarers, who are expected to arrive home late Tuesday, will be provided with more assistance packages. Presidential News Desk