The Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) and the Philippine Coast Guard should investigate the sinking of a sand carrier vessel employing foreign crew off Occidental Mindoro province, a former MARINA administrator said.
Lawyer Nick Conti, former officer-in-charge administrator of MARINA and first nominee of CLICK Partylist, was referring to the sinking of the MV Hong Hai on April 15, which left one Chinese crew member dead and 10 more seafarers—both Filipino and Chinese—missing.
“We call on MARINA to immediately conduct a thorough investigation—not only into the cause of the capsizing, but more importantly, into the legality and propriety of employing foreign crew aboard Philippine vessels,” Conti said in a statement.
“This tragedy must not be compounded by bureaucratic silence or indifference. Let us uphold the rights of Filipino workers. Let us defend Philippine sovereignty. Let us protect the integrity of our flag,” Conti said.
Reports said seven Filipinos and three Chinese nationals were missing after the vessel tipped over off the waters of Rizal, Occidental Mindoro. The sand carrier vessel, reportedly operated by Philippines-registered Keen Peak Corp., was carrying a 25-member crew composed of 13 Filipinos and 12 Chinese nationals.
The Philippine Coast Guard said six Filipinos and eight Chinese crew members survived the accident.
“We express our deep concern over the recent capsizing of the MV Hong Hai 16 off the coast of Rizal, Occidental Mindoro, where one Chinese crew member has been confirmed dead, and 10 more seafarers—both Filipino and Chinese—remain missing. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of all affected,” Conti said.
“Yet amid this tragedy, a critical question arises: If it is indeed true that this is a Philippine-registered vessel, then it is only fair to ask: Why were there 12 Chinese nationals serving as crew members on board?” he said.
“This is a legitimate concern that the Maritime Industry Authority and Philippine Coast Guard must address with urgency and full transparency,” Conti said.
He raised several questions that needed to be answered: “Was this arrangement cleared and approved by MARINA? Were the Chinese crew members properly documented and vetted by the Bureau of Immigration and the Department of Labor and Employment? Were Philippine maritime labor and cabotage laws followed? And most importantly, why are maritime jobs that should belong to Filipino seafarers being outsourced to foreign nationals?”
Conti said the Philippines has a highly respected maritime labor force. “It is deeply concerning—if not outright unacceptable—that foreign nationals are being deployed on Philippine-flagged ships, especially when thousands of qualified Filipino seafarers remain unemployed or underemployed,” he said.
“This issue goes beyond labor. It is a matter of national sovereignty and security. At a time of increasing regional tensions and maritime incidents, our ships and seas must be manned and safeguarded by our own people—not foreign nationals whose presence and roles remain questionable,” Conti said.