Every 6 hours, pirates seize a Filipino seaman

FOR years now, the Philippines has been among the leading sources of seafarers for the global shipping industry. One in every five seafarers plying the world’s waters today is Filipino, and the total amount they send home each year is astounding. Indeed, they are among the reasons why our economy remains afloat, but they are doing so by putting their lives at risk.

It’s no secret that the shipping industry is one of the most dangerous in the world, with the many threats seafarers have to face seemingly growing each year. Recently, however, piracy has become among the top risks endured by seamen.

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Unsurprisingly, the number of Filipino seafarers being held hostage by pirates each month has risen dramatically. In fact, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs, one Filipino seafarer is being seized by pirates every six hours. Yet, as PCIJ contributor Roel Landingin notes in this special feature, this is even though the Philippine government, just weeks ago, implemented new measures to help keep Filipino seafarers out of harm’s way.

Read on at pcij.org.