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Seafarer concerns government's top priority – DMW

THE concerns of the Filipino seafarers are currently the highest priority of the administration, Patricia Yvonne Caunan, Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) undersecretary for Policy and International Cooperation, said in relation to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s commitment to European shipowners.

President Marcos reassured EU shipowners during a three-day visit to Brussels, Belgium last week that the employment and welfare of Filipino seafarers will be protected through the creation of the International Advisory Council on Global Maritime Affairs (IACGMA).

The Philippines is the primary non-European country that deploys seafarers on board EU-flagged ships, with about 31,000 ship officers because of their Certificates of Competencies (COC) recognized by European ship owners. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO