With the government having extended assistance to their families.
At approximately 11:40 pm (local time) on Monday, August 31, a Saudi-operated oil tanker M/V SIDR was hit by projectiles as it navigated the Strait of Hormuz, a high-risk maritime area amid the ongoing geopolitical tensions between Iran and the United States.
The incident has caused injuries and fatalities, including two Filipino seafarers onboard the oil tanker.
Following this, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. expressed condolences to the families of two Filipino seafarers.
“Unang-una po ay nakikiramay po ang Pangulo at ang administrasyon sa pamilya ng dalawang seafarers mula sa Cabuyao, Laguna at Daanbantayan, Cebu,” Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said during a Palace press briefing on Thursday.
Castro said President Marcos has been informed about the incident and the death of the two Filipino seafarers and immediately directed Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac to assist the families.
“At nag-utos na ang Pangulo agad-agad na tulungan ang mga pamilya ng dalawa nating kababayan na nasawi at ibigay ang lahat ng kailangan nila pati ang benepisyo, compensation, insurance proceeds na naaangkop na dapat ibigay sa ating kababayan na nasawi,” Castro told, assuring continued support for the families.
She added, “Muli, nakikiramay po kami sa pamilya ng dalawa po nating seafarers at tuluy-tuloy pa rin po ang pag-uulat ni Secretary Hans Cacdac patungkol po dito sa ating dalawang kababayan.”
In a separate statement, the DMW said the agency mourns the deaths of the two Filipino seafarers.
Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac has instructed all relevant DMW offices to provide immediate and appropriate assistance to the affected Filipino crew and their families.
The DMW, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), and the Philippine Embassy and Migrant Workers Office (MWO) in Oman, together with other concerned government agencies, are closely coordinating with the vessel’s principal, the licensed manning agency, and relevant authorities.
This is to ensure the earliest possible repatriation of the Filipino crew while providing all necessary medical, welfare, and other assistance, the agency said in their statement.
The DMW said it is also working with the relevant parties to facilitate the proper handling and repatriation of the remains of the two Filipino seafarers who lost their lives in the incident.
“The DMW is ensuring that the families of the deceased seafarers receive immediate assistance and the benefits, compensation, insurance proceeds, and other benefits due to them under their employment contracts and applicable Philippine and international maritime regulations,” the agency added.
The identities of the deceased were also withheld out of respect for their families and until appropriate notification and coordination procedures are completed.
Meanwhile, Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Cacdac also visited the family of one of the deceased seafarers in Cabuyao, Laguna on Thursday, September 3.
The department also that it will continue to closely monitor the condition and situation of the remaining Filipino crew members and is coordinating with Philippine government posts and relevant authorities in the region to ensure their safe and immediate return to the Philippines.
Following the incident, the DMW likewise reminded shipowners and licensed manning agencies to ensure the safety of overseas Filipino workers serving as seafarers and to respect their right to refuse voyages through high-risk maritime areas, including the Strait of Hormuz.
Based on its Advisory No. 53, Series of 2026, issued on August 28, 2026, they have sought to reinforce safety measures for Filipino seafarers amid heightened security risks.
Cacdac said shipowners must prioritize the safety of Filipino seafarers and keep them out of harm’s way and emphasized that shipowners must respect seafarers’ decisions not to sail through areas where their safety may be at risk.
“We continue to remind shipowners to be mindful of the safety of our seafarers on board and to keep them out of harm’s way,” he told. “We are disallowing deployment to the extent that a seafarer exercises the right to refuse to sail. That right must be respected.”
Shipowners are also told to comply with all requirements before undertaking voyages through areas affected by conflict or heightened security risks, including conducting risk assessments, implementing appropriate security measures, considering vessel escorts where necessary, and complying with reporting requirements.
The Secretary added that the DMW will review whether these safeguards were properly observed as part of its investigation into the recent maritime incident involving the M/V SIDR.
Cacdac also stressed that Filipino seafarers must be given an informed choice before undertaking voyages through dangerous waters.
Lastly, the DMW continues to remind shipowners and licensed manning agencies to observe all required safety measures and uphold Filipino seafarers’ right to make an informed decision before sailing through high-risk maritime areas.
