The Department of Foreign Affairs on Monday said Japan was expected to conduct an aerial search operation for the 40 missing crewmen from the Philippines, Australia and New Zealand of the sunken Panamanian cargo vessel.
“As the area is still pounded by gusty winds, search by patrol boat is not possible at this time,” the DFA said.
The department expressed hopes that the other Filipino seafarers will soon be found.
The DFA said that so far two Filipino crewmen have been rescued, while another died after being found unconscious on Friday.
The DFA, along with Philippine Embassy in Tokyo, the Philippine Consulate General in Osaka and the Philippine Overseas Labor Office said that they will continue to monitor and coordinate the situation with the Japanese Coast Guard, the ship owner and the manning agency to extend all appropriate support for the Filipino seafarers and their families.
The search was stopped on Saturday due to bad weather, when Typhoon Haishen was headed towards southwestern Japan.
En route to Port of Jingtang in Tangshan, Gulf Livestock 1, was able to make a distress call on September 2 from Amami Oshima Island in Kagoshima Prefecture before it sank as Typhoon Maysak lashed the area with strong winds and heavy seas.
Over at the Senate, Senator Risa Hontiveros called on the government to continue to extend its assistance and support to the families of the Filipino crew members of Gulf Livestock 1.
She also urged the government to ensure that assistance is readily available to families of survivors and missing Filipino seafarers of the ill-fated cargo ship.
Hontiveros said that concerned agencies such as the Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Foreign Affairs, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration and Philippine Overseas Employment Administration must work closely together and coordinate with the manning agency of the 39 Filipino seafarers and the ship owner of the ill-fated cargo vessel to make sure that contractual obligations are fulfilled.
“My heart goes out to the on board seafarers, especially their families who are anxiously waiting for the return of their loved ones. Sigurado akong mga breadwinner sila ng kanilang mga pamilya,” she added.
The senator added that a more comprehensive ‘Magna Carta for Seafarers’ must be passed into law to institutionalize reforms for better protection of seafarers and their families especially during maritime accidents like this that either result to injury or loss of life of Filipino seafarers.
“While we welcome government’s initiative to provide aid to the families of our seafarers, moving forward, no seafarer or their family should be worried when they board a ship,” she said.
She said that it would be much better if the giving of immediate benefits would be institutionalized and coordination between the employers or agencies and crew members adequate.
According to Hontiveros, who has been pushing for the passage of Senate Bill No. 357 or ‘Marino Bill’, health insurance systems should be strengthened as well as the capacity to negotiate with insurance companies and ship owners to ensure seafarers get the best in terms of disability or death compensation claims.
Under the employment contract, the POEA approved $50,000 and an additional amount of $7, 000 would be given to each child under 21 years old.
“So we put in the provision the right to organize because the coverage is much higher if the death is covered by a Collective Bargaining Agreement,” she said.
She said that although the lives of those who died in the accident cannot be replaced by any amount of money, it is better that they are protected in case of any untoward incident.