THE $6-billion annual remittances to the national coffers and the jobs of the more than 400,000 Filipino seafarers will be threatened if the government continues to turn a blind eye to the rampant cases of false claims and corruption in agencies handling such cases.

This warning was issued by maritime stakeholders following the filing of a case before the Office of the Ombudsman against two maritime voluntary arbitrators (MVAs) for violation of Sections 4 & 8, Rule VII of the 2021 Revised Procedural Guidelines in the Conduct of Voluntary Arbitration Proceedings.