A group of sailors is urging President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to look into reports that foreign vessels employing foreign workers are being used in a reclamation project in Manila.

The Samahan Ng Nagkakaisang Marinong Pilipino – in a letter addressed to Department of Labor and Employment Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma and Department of Migrant Workers Secretary Susan Ople – stressed that they are fighting the same fight of the President, which is to protect Filipino sailors wherever they may be.

"We commend the agencies' efforts to fight for our right by pushing for the Magna Carta for Seafarers, the implementation of the Maritime Labor Convention and the security of tenure of Filipino sailors which is in danger following the inadequacies of the MARINA," said the SNMP in a two-page letter dated 15 December 2022.

The group also revealed that while there are many foreign vessels arriving and operating here in the Philippines, majority of the crew being employed are not Filipinos.

"There are a lot of foreign vessels that arrive in the country, and we think that they are being used for the reclamation at the Manila Bay," the SNMP said.

"Based on our findings, the foreign vessels are securing special permits or bareboat charter permits from the Marina. If they secure special permits, the vessels are still considered foreign. But in some cases, vessels who secure bareboat charter permits should have Filipinos as its crew, but it's not always the case," it added.

The SNMP also questioned as to why foreign ships are being employed when there are many local ship owners.

It also stressed that Filipino seafarers have decided to work here in the Philippines instead of abroad so that they can be closer to their family but with the current situation, they are hard pressed to stay.

The SNMP also asked the Philippine Coast Guard, MARINA and DoLE to look conduct an inspection on the said boats.

The group identified the ships allegedly being used by China Harbor Engineering Company as follows: MV LIANG KU 9; MV LIANG KU 99; SHEN ZHEN STAR; GUANG ZHOU STAR; MV ZHOU HAI STAR/ATAP; MV ZHU HAI STAR; SEASTRANS MARINER; KG 18; HENG DA 188; HONG FU 588 2009 BUILT; MV XIN YI 9577; AN DA KANG 689; HIONG FU 598; MV XIN YI; HONG FU 588; and HUA TAI LONG.