Senate Committee on Migrant Workers Chairperson Senator Raffy Tulfo expressed deep concern over the increasing cases of Filipino seafarers who went missing while on duty.
During the Committee hearing recently, Tulfo 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.
The legislator 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.
Cacdac agreed with the lawmaker but admitted that requiring foreign-flagged vessels to implement mandatory CCTV cameras would pose a big challenge.
The senator 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 Cacdac also supported.
“MARINA should require domestic maritime vessels to install CCTV cameras as soon as possible.”
If anything, Tulfo 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.
He 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.
“189 seafarers were recorded to have mental disorders from 2018 to 2022.”
According to the National Maritime Polytechnic in the Philippines, 189 seafarers were recorded to have mental disorders from 2018 to 2022.
As a solution, 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.
He 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.
Cacdac assured that he would immediately act on all of Tulfo’s recommendations.
