The Department of Migrant Workers Officer-in-Charge Hans Leo Cacdac stressed on Wednesday that no cargo is worth the risk to Filipino seafarers' lives after the DMW joined the International Transport Workers' Federation call for the safety and well-being of seafarers navigating the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, in the wake of recent drone, missile, and rocket attacks on marine vessels traversing the key shipping route.

In a statement, Cacdac expressed his concerns about the surge in attacks targeting seafarers.

"Our overwhelming priority is to ensure the safety of our kababayans at sea. We are deeply concerned over the increasing number of attacks on marine vessels and the danger this poses to seafarers,"

"We recognize the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden shipping corridor's critical role in the global supply chain and the potential disruptions caused by rerouting ships away from it. Nonetheless, we believe that no cargo is worth the risk to our Filipino seafarers' lives," Cacdac said.

Meanwhile, ITF General Secretary Stephen Cotton also conveyed on his concern for the safety of the seafarers in his statement.

"The primary concern of the ITF is the safety of seafarers, and we would expect shipping companies to share that concern. Seafarers move the world," Cotton stated.

ITF mentioned that global shipping companies Maersk, Hapag Lloyd, and the Mediterranean Shipping Company rerouted their vessels through the Cape of Good Hope in the southern tip of Africa.

The rerouting adds another 3,000 nautical miles to their vessels' normal routes, as well as adding weeks to the tours of duty of crew members at sea. The extended route and tours also have a logistical impact on goods, services, and delivery schedules.

According to the reports of DMW, as of October 2023, a total of 488,606 Filipino seafarers of which 857,540 are officers and the remaining 1,035,180 are skilled seafarers.

"Filipino seafarers are the most hardworking and trustworthy workers, and we will never cease to monitor and promote their safety and well-being on board ships that are their welcome workplaces," Cacdac said.