Marcos to support Filipinos affected by Houthi attack

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Sunday called for an end to the Houthi attacks as he advocated for the full respect of the principle of freedom of navigation.

Marcos Jr. made the remarks in X (formerly Twitter) after Houthi rebels launched a missile attack on Wednesday, killing two Pinoy seafarers onboard the Greek-owned, Barbados-flagged commercial vessel, "True Confidence."

The Houthis have been attacking ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, two of the world's busiest shipping lanes, since November as a show of support for the Palestinians during Israel's war with Hamas in Gaza.

"The Philippines joins global calls for the end to this conflict and for full respect for the principle of freedom of navigation," Marcos Jr. said.

"We remain firmly committed to the safety and welfare of our seafarers and overseas Filipino workers in the region," the Chief Executive added.

Marcos Jr. also expressed his condolences to the families of two Filipino seafarers killed in the Houthi attack and assured that his administration is prioritizing the repatriation of the remains.

"We are in constant contact with their families, and we will spare no effort in bringing their remains home," Marcos Jr. said.

He added that the 13 surviving Filipino seafarers, including the three who were injured during the attack, are now safely in Djibouti and are being assisted by our Embassy in Cairo to return safely home as soon as possible.

Marcos Jr. then directed relevant government agencies – such as the Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), Department of Health, and Department of Social Welfare and Development – to provide all necessary assistance to the seafarers and their families.

Meanwhile, the DMW said the 11 Filipino sailors were on board True Confidence will return to the Philippines on Tuesday.

"Those who will return on Tuesday are 11. Ten are unharmed and one is injured. There are still two left in the hospital with major injuries, and the bodies of the two who died have yet to be retrieved," DMW officer-in-charge Hans Leo Cacdac said in a radio interview.

"The missile hit the ship's fuel tank. The heat signature is still high, so the salvaging team hired by the shipowner has not yet entered the salvage operations. It is really part of the salvors' objective to retrieve the bodies of our beloved crew members who died," Cacdac added.

The head of DMW said that the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) will provide financial assistance to those Filipino sailors affected by the Houthi attack.