THE Marcos administration assured the families of the 17 Filipino seafarers being held hostage by Houthi rebels in Yemen that they have not been forgotten and all efforts are being exerted for their release.
“Let us remember that there are 17 seafarers aboard the Galaxy Leader who are still being held in Hodeidah for over a hundred days already by the Houthis,” Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega said in a press briefing in Malacañang on Tuesday.
“And we are still working with friendly governments if they could be released but the Houthis are consistent in their statement that it would need an end to the war in Gaza before they will release the ship and the seafarers,” he said.
De Vega assured the families of the 17 Filipino hostages that the government continues to work for their release. “I want to take the opportunity in this occasion to ensure the families that we haven’t forgotten them. Ginagawa namin lahat ng magagawa although it’s not just really a Philippine issue, it’s a global issue at ‘yung DMW (Department of Migrant Workers) palaging nakikipagpulong sa mga pamilya para bigyan sila ng updates,” he said.
But at the very least, De Vega said the seafarers are safe and are able to communicate with their families although not in the best condition.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said in November that his government was doing all it can to ensure the safety of the 17 Filipino seafarers taken hostage by Houthi rebels.
Yemeni rebels seized the cargo vessel Galaxy Leader in the Red Sea and took hostage its 25 crewmembers, including 17 Filipinos, in retaliation for Israel’s offensive in Gaza, the DFA said following the vessel’s seizure.
The Bahamas-flagged, British-owned Galaxy Leader, with links to Israeli businessman Abraham “Rami” Ungar, is operated by a Japanese firm.
The condition of the 17 Filipino seamen was recently brought to light as the government announced the arrival today of the 11 Filipino crew members of bulk carrier M/V True Confidence, which was attacked by Houthi rebels on March 6 while in the Gulf of Aden.
Recognizing the sacrifices and contributions of Filipino seafarers, De Vega said they are vital to the world’s shipping industry with nearly a quarter of all the world’s seafarers are Filipinos.
About 490,000, or about half a million of them are at sea, De Vega said, as he thanked other countries assisting the Philippines to ensure the well-being of the country’s seamen.
“For example, the Indian Navy who rescued our seafarers. Djibouti is working with us on the Filipino seafarers on the ground. And other countries of course, are making their statements including through the UN about the need to stop attacks on shipping,” the DFA official said.
