In a further sign of the impact of the financial crisis on shipping around 200 Filipino seafarers working for foreign shipowners have lost their jobs.
While the Asian country that is the biggest supplier of labour to the shipping industry was already expecting thousands of jobs to go in the cruise sector, the latest casualties have come in the cargo sector.
The 200 seafarers were joined by over 700 construction and hotel workers as building projects are put on hold or scrapped and tourism suffers from belt-tightening consumers.
Marianito Roque, Philippines labour secretary, said yesterday, “We are beginning to account for economically displaced OFWs [overseas Filipino workers] and as of Monday, we have already recorded a total of 946 displaced workers, mainly from Taiwan.”
Roque had earlier expressed fears about Filipinos working in the cruise sector who account for 20% of the sea-based workforce or over 40,000, although many of these will be employed in the hotel and catering departments.
The Philippines is heavily reliant on the remittances sent home by its OFWs which last year amounted to $14.5bn, with sea-based workers contributing $2.2bn, according to the country’s central bank.
Seafarers tend on average to earn more than other occupations and in the first nine months of this year their remittances at $2.4bn were up 43% on last year, much faster than the 12% rise to $9.9bn for all other OFWs.
With a Filipino seafarer earning on average $760 a month, remittances are also higher because they do not normally have to spend on accommodation and food while onboard.
The average level of earnings is influenced by the fact the majority at over 75% are low-paid ratings.
1 comment:
You are sure right! That is why Filipino seafarer should brace-up and be ready. The manning agency and principals will be having the luxury of choosing the right people for their vessels.
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