MANILA (July 2) — Thirteen seafarers—six Filipinos and seven Indian nationals—aboard the M/V Hirman Star, stranded in the Iloilo Strait for nearly three months, were rescued through the coordinated efforts of the Philippine government, led by the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA).
Acting on President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to ensure no overseas Filipino worker is left behind in times of crisis, the DMW, OWWA, the Philippine Coast Guard, and the Iloilo local government conducted the rescue. The crew had been stranded due to seaworthiness issues and unpaid wages.
“The President is monitoring this closely. Rescue alone is not enough—seafarers must also receive their rightful wages. Assisting the Indian nationals is part of our commitment to reciprocity, as Filipinos are also helped by other nations abroad,” said Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo J. Cacdac.
The six Filipino crew members each received P50,000 from the DMW AKSYON Fund and another P50,000 from OWWA, along with additional support.
The Indian crew chose to remain onboard but were given food and basic supplies and are being assisted by the Bureau of Immigration to arrange their disembarkation.
OWWA Administrator Patricia Yvonne Caunan, who led the negotiations, noted that the ship owner was inexperienced in hiring Filipino seafarers and used contracts deemed unfair and unethical.
The manning agency, Erika Crewmanning Services Inc., which already has a suspended license, will face legal action for contract substitution, delayed wages, and abandonment.
