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Over 7,000 Filipino sailors in Middle East marked safe amid Strait of Hormuz closure
Migrant Workers secretary Hans Leo Cacdac added the Philippine government is coordinating with Omani Navy for the search and rescue of a Filipino sailor missing last week
- PUBLISHED: Sat 14 Mar 2026, 7:52 PM
[Editor's Note: Follow Khaleej Times live blog amid US-Israel-Iran war for the latest regional developments.]
More than 7,000 Filipino seafarers in the Middle East are “marked safe” based on regular monitoring by the Philippine government, Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac has confirmed, reiterating his call to shipowners to ensure the safety of seafarers as regional tension remains unchanged.
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Roughly 25 to 30 per cent of seafarers in the world are Filipinos, and several oil tankers and cargo vessels are unable to pass through the Strait of Hormuz since the start of the US-Israel-Iran on February 28. A few vessels have been attacked, including the Thai-registered bulk carrier Mayuree Naree that was struck on Wednesday morning while transiting through the Gulf waterway, after departing from Khalifa Port in the UAE.
Filipino sailors stuck in Hormuz strait have been experiencing fear and boredom, according to an Agence France-Presse (AFP) report on Thursday.
Cacdac, who arrived in Dubai on Friday to personally bring home around 450 Filipinos stranded in the UAE, assured that more than 7,000 Filipino seafarers have been accounted for and marked safe.
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There is, however, one Filipino sailor reported missing since last week off the coast of Oman. Cacdac told Khaleej Times the Philippine government is closely coordinating with the Omani Navy for the search and rescue of missing the Filipino sailor he declined to identify in respect to the sailor’s family and privacy.
The missing Filipino seaman was aboard a tugboat that responded to help a stricken vessel. “We are hoping he will soon be found ,” said Cacdac, adding: “We are in touch with the family and rest assured we have been handholding them through these difficult times.”
Refusal to sail
Meanwhile, Cacdac reiterated that Filipino seafarers have the right to refuse to sail in “war-risk zones” amid the ongoing US-Israel-Iran war. This means seafarers may demand that ship officials and shipping companies disembark them if their vessels are scheduled to sail through the Strait of Hormuz.
Cacdac said this policy is based on a DMW advisory issued early this week that is in line with the resolution by the Warlike Operations Area Committee (WOAC) of the International Bargaining Forum (IBF) declaring the Gulf area a dangerous place for seafarers, as several ships have been attacked by both Iranian and US missiles and torpedoes.
There is a form on DWM website detailing the advisory which a Filipino sailor can download and show to the shipowner or manning agency. Any Filipino seaman can also call the DMW hotline and seek assistance.
Cacdac confirmed to Khaleej Times that no Filipino sailor has yet availed of the right to refuse to sail.
