THE Philippines is the largest supplier of seafarers in the global labor industry. Some 180,000 Filipinos or 28.5 percent of the total maritime population of 632,000 are on board vessels worldwide. Russia is second with 7.3 percent.
Seafarers contribute about 10 percent of the total OFW remittances to the country, a major life-line of the Philippine economy.
But of the more than 500,000 registered Filipino seafarers, enough to man most of the vessels afloat around the world, more than 300,000 are unemployed.
Although Filipino seafarers are known to be "the best and most sought after in the maritime industry," according to Professor Tony Lane of the Seafarers International Research Center (SIRC) in Cardiff University, United Kingdom, "the demand for Philippine seafarers is tapering off." From 19.8 percent of Filipino seafarers deployed in 1995, only 3.4 percent were on board between 2000 and 2001, according to data from the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA).
1 comment:
We will mostly feel by 2nd quarter of this year the unemployment of seafarer will rise. Many vessel were already laid-off here in Subic, Tsuneishi Cebu and Malalag Bay which indicate that the storm is yet to come. Hope this run will not be a long one just like what happen during the 80's were it only recovered on the late 80's. Let us keep our fingers crossed!
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