PH’s seafarer deployment now at almost pre-pandemic level, POEA says

By CNN Philippines Staff, 25 Jun 2021

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 25) — The country’s seafarer deployment is slowly returning to pre-pandemic levels, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration said Friday.

In a virtual briefing, POEA Administrator Bernard Olalia said about 15,000 seafarers were deployed in January, and the figure further increased to 30,000 last month.

“Last year, nung nagsimula ang pandemic, bumagsak ang deployment, kasama ang mga seafarers… Pero dahil sa mga polisiya, lumago ang deployment,” he said.

“Unti-unting bumabalik ang datos sa pre-pandemic data,” the official added.

[Translation: Last year, when the pandemic started, the deployment of workers overseas really declined, seafarers included. But because of government policies, the deployment has grown. The data is slowly returning to the pre-pandemic level.]

Olalia noted the Philippines had been deploying about 40,000 seafarers monthly before the global health crisis.

POEA official said policies such as the “green lane” targeted for smooth seafarers and crew change in Asia, the opening of more local ports, and the decision of the Philippine pandemic response task force to consider them as global essential workers have boosted the deployment.

President Rodrigo Duterte earlier this month also granted the request of Filipino seafarers to be inoculated with Western-made vaccine brands as this has been the requirement of most international shipping firms before embarkation.

Olalia said the government will ensure that all Filipino seafarers will receive their coronavirus shots.