Filipino seafarers confront abandonment, abuse amid global shipping crisis

Filipino seafarers confront abandonment, abuse amid global shipping crisis
Liz Lagniton September 5, 2025 https://maritimefairtrade.org/filipino-seafarers-confront-abandonment-ab...

At sea, silence can be as dangerous as a storm. For thousands of Filipino seafarers, silence has become a survival strategy — enduring abuse and abandonment on board vessels because speaking out could mean losing their livelihood.

That harsh reality took center stage this week at the International Conference on Seafarers’ Human Rights, Safety and Well-being, which concluded in Manila on September 2.

Seafarers, union leaders, and government officials gathered to confront a troubling trend: Rising cases of abandonment and maltreatment of crew members, many of them Filipinos, the backbone of the global shipping industry.

Captain Jasmin Labarda, a veteran seafarer and representative of the Associated Marine Officers’ and Seamen’s Union of the Philippines (AMOSUP), did not mince words.

“They have accepted abuses,” Labarda said during the press conference after the event.

“Nobody would like to speak up. And I’ve asked my colleagues, ‘Why are you not speaking up?’ They said, ‘I don’t want to lose my job; nobody will believe me. My employer, the government will not support me.’”

Her remarks underscored a disturbing culture of resignation among seafarers, who often tolerate overwork, verbal abuse, unsafe working conditions, and even violence. The fear of retaliation or blacklisting keeps them from reporting violations.

The reluctance to speak out has made it easier for abusive practices to persist in an industry that depends heavily on contractual workers, many of whom come from developing countries like the Philippines. With an estimated one in four seafarers worldwide being Filipino, the stakes are enormous, not just for the individuals involved, but for families and the national economy that depends on their remittances.

Abandonment at sea

Beyond abuse, abandonment has emerged as a recurring crisis. Shipowners facing bankruptcy sometimes leave entire crews stranded at sea, unable to dock or access supplies.

“Abuses and abandonment happen wherein if the employer is bankrupt and they can’t provide for the ship, they will just leave the ship,” Labarda explained.

“So, the supplies on the ship are just limited — limited freshwater, limited food, limited fuel. If all of that disappeared, down to zero, they will die of hunger. The ship would just be floating everywhere. There could be a potential to be boarded by the pirates. And that’s a regular occurrence.”

These dangers were magnified during the COVID-19 pandemic, when port closures left crews marooned offshore for weeks or months. Ships were denied fuel, food, and medical assistance.

“Nobody wanted to supply,” Labarda recalled. “It’s very sad.”

While international maritime law requires shipowners and flag states to ensure crew welfare, in practice, abandoned seafarers often face long waits for rescue or repatriation.

Flags of convenience

Labarda also pointed to the flag of convenience system, where shipowners register vessels in countries with lax labor and safety standards.

“There are employers or shipowners who choose to register their ships on other countries that have very lenient regulations. And most of the time, they don’t require union membership, so workers are open to more abuses and abandonment,” she said.

With little oversight, shipowners can evade accountability, leaving seafarers vulnerable. “What happens then, every maltreatment is now dependent on one’s point of view, from the shipowner’s point of view, and no one will speak for the workers themselves,” Labarda added.

For AMOSUP and other seafarer advocates, the Manila Declaration, adopted during the two-day conference, represents a rare glimmer of hope.

“The Manila Declaration is a lifeline for seafarers,” Labarda said. “It recognizes our struggles, our rights, and our contributions, and it gives us hope that the world is finally listening to those who keep global trade moving.”

The declaration seeks stronger protections for seafarers, recognition of their rights as essential workers, and greater cooperation among governments to address abandonment and abuse.

Government promises action

Filipino officials at the conference acknowledged both progress and shortcomings in addressing seafarer welfare.

Ambassador Carlos Sorreta, the Philippines’ permanent representative to the United Nations in Geneva, highlighted the irony of international action.

“One of the ironies of international relations: sometimes, states wait for the disaster to occur, massive crises, before the states get together and create the norms that will address this,” Sorreta said.

He stressed that the Philippines intends to act proactively.

“We’re not waiting for the next crisis. No matter how few or how many these cases are, we’re going to do it. Sometimes you don’t really wait for those primarily responsible… because we’re talking about lives. Even if legally, we can’t still get them to pay up, we’re going in there and save every Filipino seafarer’s life.”

Sorreta also acknowledged the practical challenges of rescue. Crews abandoned in foreign ports often face restrictions because their ships cannot pay port fees, or because transit visas are denied.

“Sometimes we have to charter flights during conflict or crisis situations,” he said. “Sometimes we evacuate them with buses, and we have to negotiate… We are very grateful to the states that allow us the ability to rescue our seafarers.”

Sonia Malaluan, administrator of the Maritime Industry Authority, pointed out that the Philippines has established financial safeguards. Manning agencies are required to provide financial security cover for seafarers, ensuring quicker repatriation in cases of abandonment.

“It’s very good practice that the Philippines, we are proactive, we already have that policy, that our seafarers who are abandoned were actually be repatriated very quickly,” said Malaluan.

“So, I think that’s one of the best practices. Our Filipino seafarers are not totally at the mercy of abandonment,” Malaluan said. “We are even better than other nationalities because of the financial security being provided.

However, she admitted that abandonment cannot be entirely avoided when shipowners themselves go bankrupt.

Meanwhile, Assistant Secretary Lennard Serrano of the Department of Labor and Employment emphasized the need for stronger global coordination.

“We are aware of instances where seafarers were abandoned and need to be repatriated. However, the government is unaware. Some worse circumstances are that the family members are the ones raising the issue,” Serrano said. “Without knowing, we would not be able to give the proper assistance needed.”

The seafarer’s perspective

For many seafarers, abandonment is not just a policy issue but a terrifying lived experience.

Second Officer Maribel Singian shared her perspective.

“It’s unfortunate that there are still some who are experiencing abandonment and abuses. I’m grateful I haven’t experienced any of those, but not because I don’t experience them, I don’t want stricter policies. I hope seafarers will be more knowledgeable on what to do during abandonment. Because in the past issues, we are only seeing the news that they are abandoned on Facebook. It’s unfortunate because they don’t know who to contact.”

Singian called for better communication channels so that stranded crews know whom to call for help.

Labarda, in turn, reflected on the irony that while sailors are bound by tradition to help anyone in distress at sea, they themselves are often left behind.

“As sailors, if we are near, our ships have to go there and help,” she said. “But look what happened during the pandemic: the seafarers were left behind, and abandonment is happening. That’s the irony of it all.”
The human cost of silence

Seafarers’ vulnerability is not new. Abandonment cases have been documented for decades, often buried in bureaucratic disputes between shipowners, insurers, and flag states. But the pandemic exposed the fragility of maritime labor protections on a global scale.

At the height of COVID-19, nearly 400,000 seafarers were stranded worldwide, some working beyond their contracts without pay or relief. Reports of hunger, lack of medical care, and even suicides emerged. While conditions have improved since then, labor groups warn that the same systemic loopholes remain.

Filipino seafarers’ unions like AMOSUP have long pushed for stronger enforcement of international labor conventions, including the Maritime Labor Convention (MLC) of 2006, which sets minimum working and living standards for seafarers. But enforcement depends on states’ willingness and ability to regulate.

Behind the legal frameworks and diplomatic negotiations are human stories of sacrifice and silence. Many seafarers support extended families through their wages. Losing a job can plunge entire households into poverty.

That is why, as Labarda noted, many tolerate abuse.

“My father was a seafarer. There’s been violence onboard. I realized it has become the norm,” she said.

Her remarks echoed studies showing that fear of retaliation is one of the biggest barriers to reporting labor violations at sea.

The Manila conference may not have solved abandonment, but it brought the issue back to the forefront of global discussions.

For the Philippine government, the challenge is twofold: Ensuring rapid assistance for its nationals while also leading international efforts to close regulatory loopholes.

For unions like AMOSUP, the priority is empowering seafarers to speak up without fear.