23-11-2023 (MANILA) President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. affirmed the government’s commitment to the safety of 17 Filipino seafarers who were taken hostage by Yemen’s Houthi rebels in the Red Sea. In a late Wednesday statement, President Marcos disclosed that the Department of Foreign Affairs is actively coordinating with counterparts in Iran, Oman, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia for updates on the situation. Simultaneously, the Department of Migrant Workers is maintaining constant communication with the families of the hostages.
President Marcos assured that every measure is being taken to secure the safe return of the seafarers, emphasizing, “Our seafarers are not alone. The government is doing everything in our power to bring them safely home.” The hostages are part of the 25-member crew taken captive when the Israel-linked cargo vessel Galaxy Leader was seized by Iran-backed Houthi rebels on Sunday. The vessel, chartered by a Japanese group, was flying the flag of the Bahamas.
The Houthi rebels asserted that the hostage-taking was in retaliation for Israel’s military actions against Hamas. On Wednesday, they issued a warning to allies of Israel, declaring that their shipping in the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the entrance to the Red Sea, is a “legitimate target.” The Bab al-Mandab Strait is a crucial shipping lane, responsible for about a fifth of global oil consumption, making it one of the world’s busiest.
Highlighting the significance of Filipino mariners in global seafaring, President Marcos noted that they constitute over 25% of the 1.5 million sea-based workers worldwide, the highest representation from any country.
