Recognizing the advocacies of Sen. Cynthia Villar and daughter Las Piñas Rep. Camille Villar in helping overseas Filipino workers, the Maritime Industry Authority has partnered with them for the Moderna vaccine rollout for seafarers.
MARINA administrator retired Vice Admiral Robert Empedrad also thanked the Villars for hosting the Pfizer inoculation of seafarers last June 25 in their family-owned The Tent in South Global City, Las Piñas where a total of 1,086 seafarers were inoculated.
“As the esteemed Sen. Cynthia Villar had perfectly coined, our seafarers are the sustainers of global economy, and thus, we wish to prioritize them with the necessary preparatory intervention for their overseas deployment so that they may contribute to sustain the world trade,” Empedrad said in a letter to the Villars.
Empedrad said the inoculation was a step closer toward ensuring the safety and health of modern-day heroes as well as their families and co-workers.
Through the Villar SIPAG, Senator Villar said they have been espousing the rights and welfare of Filipino migrant workers, holding annual summits on financial education as well information campaigns on human trafficking, illegal recruitment and investment scams.
“We are always ready to help our OFWs, especially those in the shipping sector who are the hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic,” she said.
“Now they can go back to their ships and voyage and earn a living for their families. They are also protecting their families from potential infection in the process,” the senator added.
The Department of Transportation said Filipino seafarers comprise 25 percent of the 1.5 million seafarers across the world.