Filipino seafarers play a crucial role in the global maritime industry, yet they have consistently ranked among the top five most abandoned nationalities. Left stranded without wages, provisions, or a way home, many have faced hardship due to shipowners who evade their responsibilities, often in times of financial distress or bankruptcy.

On March 7, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) announced a major milestone: All reported cases of abandoned Filipino seafarers had been resolved, with affected crew members safely repatriated. 

While this marks significant progress, challenges remain in ensuring long-term protections and holding shipowners accountable.

Strengthening protections under the law

Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac reaffirmed the DMW’s commitment to protecting overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), including seafarers, as mandated by the amended Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) of the International Labor Organization (ILO).

“We are not strangers to pushing for protecting seafarers caught in abandonment situations,” Cacdac said in a press briefing on March 7.

He emphasized that the Magna Carta for Filipino Seafarers, signed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr in 2024, strengthens safeguards against abandonment through detailed provisions in its implementing rules and regulations.

“We are well-entrenched in terms of protecting our OFWs in abandonment situations. So, we are monitoring situations of abandonment,” he added.

DMW data recorded 373 cases of abandoned Filipino seafarers from January to December 2024, deployed across various vessels worldwide. The most recent repatriation involved three Filipino crew members from the Team Porter, a German-flagged vessel that had been salvaged after its abandonment.

Defining seafarer abandonment  

Cacdac clarified that abandonment does not always mean physically leaving seafarers behind.

“It could include a case where a shipowner has unilaterally severed ties with the seafarer, including failure to take contractual amendments for at least two months,” he explained.

The failure to pay wages for at least two months also constitutes abandonment under international maritime labor laws. A vessel is also considered abandoned if its crew is left without proper maintenance, including food and essential supplies, or if the shipowner ceases communication with them.

From 2018 to 2024, the Philippine government successfully repatriated 1,035 abandoned Filipino seafarers, ensuring their safe return from various types of vessels, including fishing boats, passenger ships, yachts, longliners, and bulk carriers.

Recent reports from DMW’s Migrant Workers Offices included cases involving:

• MV Atheras and Buenaventura (Panamanian bulk carriers) – crew members reportedly paid for January 2025.
• MV Gemini (passenger ship) – all crew members repatriated as of February 20, 2025.
• MV Manticor (bulk carrier) – all crew safely repatriated and fully paid.
• Team Porter – latest vessel with seafarers successfully repatriated.

Cacdac stressed that the Philippine government is committed to holding shipowners and manning agencies accountable for abandonment cases.

“The overall issue for us is protecting seafarers who are entitled to benefits. On the part of the DMW, we do not hesitate to penalize licensed manning agencies and shipowners involved in abandonment situations,” he said.

Fishing industry at higher risk

The fishing industry remains the most affected sector in abandonment cases from 2018 to 2024. Unlike regular commercial seafarers, fishers often work in more precarious conditions, with fewer legal protections and oversight.

Although all reported abandoned Filipino seafarers have now been repatriated, the DMW is working to enhance protections for fishers, who remain at high risk of labor violations.

To address these concerns, the DMW is enforcing mandatory reporting of maritime incidents within three to five days and providing financial and legal assistance to fishers seeking to claim unpaid wages.

The department is also developing new standards to improve fisher protections, including a standard employment contract that will outline clear obligations for employers.

“We aim to roll this out most likely in the second quarter of this year,” Cacdac said.

Challenges in repatriation, wage recovery 

Even with support from Migrant Workers Offices and Philippine embassies, repatriating abandoned seafarers remains a difficult and intricate process, especially when they are stranded in foreign ports with little to no resources.

One major obstacle is the refusal of some shipowners to pay back wages, even after crew members have been repatriated.

“Because more often than not, abandonment happens when the shipowner literally leaves them due to financial distress. So, the shipowner is evading financial liability,” Cacdac explained.

While legal avenues exist to recover unpaid salaries, enforcement is difficult when shipowners operate under foreign jurisdictions or use legal loopholes to avoid liability.

Another issue is the lack of proper maintenance and support for stranded seafarers. Some abandoned crews are left with no food, water, or medical care for extended periods, worsening their physical and mental well-being.

“As long as a shipowner did not pay wages for at least two months, there need not be physical abandonment in that sense,” Cacdac reiterated.

With zero active abandonment cases as of today, the DMW remains vigilant in preventing future incidents, assisting distressed seafarers, and ensuring shipowners comply with international labor laws.

“The DMW continues to monitor the welfare of Filipino seafarers and remains committed to ensuring their safety and well-being during challenging situations,” Cacdac said. 

Filipino seafarers and their families are urged to report cases of abandonment to the DMW’s One Repatriation Command Center for immediate assistance.

Photo credit: Department of Migrant Workers. Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac.