Sen. Raffy alarmed over rising cases of missing seafarers; wants CCTV cameras on domestic, foreign maritime vessels

PHILIPPINES, March 7 - Press Release
March 7, 2025

Sen. Raffy alarmed over rising cases of missing seafarers; wants CCTV cameras on domestic, foreign maritime vessels

Senate Committee on Migrant Workers Chairperson Sen. Raffy Tulfo expressed deep concern over the increasing cases of Filipino seafarers who went missing while on duty.

During the Committee hearing on March 6, Sen. Idol immediately asked Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac for an update regarding the cases of missing seafarers that remain unresolved.

Among them are Ralph Anthony Bobiles, who went missing on December 5, 2024, Jimbo Cadungong, who disappeared on August 31, 2024, and Vincent San Diego, who went missing on June 16, 2023. According to Cacdac, investigations into their disappearances are still ongoing.

Meanwhile, Jeric Bueno, who went missing on February 22, 2025, has had his remains recovered, but the DMW is still awaiting his autopsy report.

Sen. Idol emphasized that investigations and resolutions of these kinds of cases could be expedited if CCTV cameras were installed in critical parts of ships, such as railings, cabin portals, and exit points.

Sec. Cacdac agreed with Sen. Raffy but admitted that requiring foreign-flagged vessels to implement mandatory CCTV cameras would pose a big challenge.

Sen. Idol mentioned that this is the very reason why he plans to attend the next International Convention on the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) by the International Maritime Organization, where he intends to present his recommendations to improve the situation of Filipino seafarers. This includes mandating all foreign vessels to install CCTV cameras, a proposal that Sec. Cacdac also supported.

If anything, Sen. Idol instructed the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) to require domestic maritime vessels to install CCTV cameras as soon as possible, as it is covered by local laws. MARINA promised to issue a Memorandum Circular on this matter.

Sen. Idol also raised concerns about the increasing cases of seafarers diagnosed with mental disorders, especially considering the difficulty of their jobs and their separation from their families. According to the National Maritime Polytechnic in the Philippines, 189 seafarers were recorded to have mental disorders from 2018 to 2022.

As a solution, Sen. Tulfo proposed ensuring that ships have psychologists or counselors in their clinics who seafarers can approach for guidance if they are experiencing depression or facing problems.

Sen. Raffy also recommended that before seafarers depart, they should be provided with emergency medical kits containing over-the-counter medications they can use if they feel depressed or have trouble sleeping. Sec. Cacdac assured that he would immediately act on all of Sen. Idol's recommendations.

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Sen. Raffy, nabahala sa dumaraming kaso ng nawawalang marino, isinusulong ang pagkakaroon ng CCTV cameras sa mga barko

Lubos na ikinabahala ni Senate Committee on Migrant Workers Chairperson Sen. Raffy Tulfo ang dumaraming kaso ng Filipino seafarers na nawawala habang naglalayag sa karagatan.

Kaya sa pagdinig ng komite kahapon, March 6, agad hiningan ng update ni Sen. Idol si Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Sec. Hans Leo Cacdac ukol sa kaso ng mga missing seafarers na hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa rin nareresolba.

Kabilang dito sina Ralph Anthony Bobiles na nawala noong December 5, 2024, Jimbo Cadungong noong Aug. 31, 2024 at Vincent San Diego noong June 16, 2023 - na ayon kay Cacdac ay patuloy daw iniimbestigahan ang pagkawala. Samantalang si Jeric Bueno naman na nawala noong Feb. 22, 2025 ay narecover na ang mga labi ngunit hinihintay pa rin ng DMW ang kanyang autopsy report.

Binigyang-diin ni Sen. Idol na mas mapapabilis sana ang imbestigasyon at paglutas ng mga ganitong klaseng kaso kung mayroon lamang mga CCTV cameras na naka-install sa kritikal na bahagi ng mga barko, tulad ng railings, cabin portals at exit points.

Sumang-ayon si Sec. Cacdac kay Sen. Raffy ngunit aminado siya na magiging challenge sa kanila ang pag-oobliga sa mga foreign-flagged vessels na ipatupad ang pagkakaroon ng mandatory CCTV cameras.

Sinabi ni Sen. Idol na ito nga ang dahilan kaya kailangan niyang maka-attend sa susunod na International Convention on the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) ng International Maritime Organization para dito niya mailatag ang kanyang mga rekomendasyon upang mapabuti ang sitwasyon ng Filipino seafarers, kabilang na ang pag-obliga sa lahat ng foreign vessels na maglagay ng CCTV cameras na agad naman ding sinuportahan ni Sec. Cacdac.

Gayunpaman, inobliga ni Sen. Idol ang Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) na i-require na sa mga domestic maritime vessels sa lalong madaling panahon ang pagkakaroon ng CCTV cameras sa mga barko dahil saklaw naman ito ng ating batas. Nangako ang MARINA na gagawa sila ng Memorandum Circular ukol dito.

Inalarma rin ni Sen. Idol ang DMW sa tumataas na kaso ng OFWs na na-diagnose na may mental disorder lalo pa at mahirap na nga ang kanilang trabaho ay malayo pa sila sa kani-kanilang mga pamilya. Ayon sa National Maritime Polytechnic sa Pilipinas, 189 seafarers ang naitala nilang may mental disorder mula 2018 hanggang 2022.

Kaya iminungkahi ni Sen. Tulfo na siguruhing mayroong mga psychologist o counselor sa clinic ng mga barko na matatakbuhan at magbibigay ng guidance sa mga seafarers na na-dedepress o may kinakaharap na problema.

Inirekomenda rin ni Sen. Raffy na bago umalis ang mga marino, dapat ay bigyan sila ng emergency medical kits na mayroong over-the-counter medicines na magagamit nila tuwing sila ay nade-depress o hindi makatulog. Nangako si Sec. Cacdac na agad niyang aaksyunan ang lahat ng iminungkahi ni Idol.