…The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) on Tuesday said it will no longer allow boarding of Filipino seafarers on ships that were attacked by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

“What we do know for now is that we will take action with respect to the principals or shipowners who have been involved in at least the three attacks -- Galaxy Leader, True Confidence and Tutor,” DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said in a press briefing.

Majority of the crew members of M/V Galaxy Leader, M/V True Confidence and M/V Tutor are Filipinos.

“….we’ll no longer process or allow the boarding of seafarers onboard these three principals or shipowners who had been the subject of attack,” he said.

He said the DMW has been in discussion with maritime stakeholders for risk and security assessment, and to intensify the protection of Filipino seafarers...

On the right to refuse sailing, Cacdac said shipowners need to improve the time element on giving notices to Filipino seafarers that the vessel they are boarding will navigate through high-risk zones.

“We have received some reports that some of our seafarers were not really given an adequate amount of time to exercise the right to refuse sailing,” he said…