The collision involved the much smaller Chinese fishing vessel, which was seen in video footage taking on water and nearly tipping onto its side as crew members scrambled to hold on to the railings.
No injuries were reported in the incident, according to the DMW.
It remains unclear whether there were Filipino seafarers aboard the Chinese vessel. Video footage from the fishing boat appeared to capture a person speaking in Ilokano, but the DMW has yet to confirm the identity or nationality of anyone aboard.
The agency said it was coordinating with the manning agency of the Filipino crew and maritime authorities of the countries involved.
“We are reaching out to the families and we will assist the seafarers and the families and of course the number one priority there is to bring them home,” Cacdac said.
A Reuters report said ship-tracking data showed that the routes of the two vessels overlapped at the time of the incident.
The collision comes amid continuing concerns over the safety of Filipino seafarers working in areas affected by maritime security incidents. The DMW has said that about 500 Filipino seafarers aboard 35 vessels were exposed to attacks in the Strait of Hormuz, resulting in the deaths of at least four Filipino seafarers.