The partnership of MARINA or Maritime Industry Authority and the Office of Sen. Cynthia Villar has inoculated, with Moderna and Janssen COVID-19 vaccines, almost 4,000 seafarers which w enable to go back to their ships.
While ensuring their protection against COVID-19 and its variants, Villar said they could return to their ships to earn a living for their families.
Villar noted that Filipino seafarers belonged to the hard-hit maritime industry by the coronavirus pandemic that crippled the world economy.
“The impact of this global health crisis resulted (in) the shutdown of ship operations and our seafarers losing their income” said Villar, who related that based on the Department of Transportation data,
Filipino seafarers comprised 25 percent of the 1.5 million seafarers in the world.
But with vaccination, this has given our Filipino seafarers, whose lives have always been ‘one of sacrifice and hard work,’ the hope that soon, they can give anew their families a comfortable life by being back on board.
“We believe and hope that this vaccination will be their passport to restore their jobs,” further stated Villar.
To date the Villar’s partnership with MARINA, has givdn Moderna and Janssen vaccines as follows: 738 seamen last July 28 and 1,202 last July 29. Also, 1,360 and 1,689 seamen received their jabs, respectively, last August 2 and August 3.
The vaccinations of Filipino seafarers were done at the Villar Family-owned The Tent in Global City, Las Pinas City.
Last June, 1,086 seafarers also got their Pfizer jabs during the MARINA vaccine rollout at The Tent.
Being a staunch advocate of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), Villar acceded to a partnership with MARINA who sought the assistance of the senator for the vaccination rollout of their seafarers.
MARINA Administrator retired Vice Admiral Robert Empedrad of the AFP thanked the senator and her daughter, Las Pinas Rep. Camille Villar, for championing the cause of Filipino seafarers.
Empedrad also noted they are a step closer towards ensuring the safety and health of our modern-day heroes as well as their families and co-workers through this collaboration effort with the Villars.
The senator guaranteed that she and her family are always ready to provide all forms of assistance to cushion the adverse effects of Covid-19 and ease the burdens of the-already suffering Filipinos.
She emphasized that Filipino seafarers, who help powered the world’s shipping industry, and keep the world moving, should be recognized for their significant contributions to keep the country’s economy afloat through their remittances.