Pinoy seafarer shares lessons from Covid-19

Pinoy seafarer shares lessons from Covid-19
Yashika F. Torib April 22, 2020 https://www.manilatimes.net/2020/04/22/business/maritime-business/pinoy-...

The world has seen how the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic has forcibly sealed people off from their jobs and daily norms. In the shipping industry, mariners were either obliged to stay aboard vessels due to unavailability of air transportation to bring them back to their home countries, while others remained at home to wait out the crisis and reapply for a job onboard.

Then there are those who are stuck in the middle – seafarers who could not be deployed for shipboard duties yet could not go back home to their families. These Filipino seamen were stranded in Manila living and relying off the goodwill of several maritime organizations and government assistance.

Case in point is Rusty Burlado, an able-bodied seaman who was taking an in-house training in Manila when Covid-19 struck people in waves, prompting the government to enforce an enhanced community quarantine (ECQ). The 30-year old seafarer was expecting to be deployed right after training with a much-awaited opportunity of getting an onboard promotion.

He now finds himself stranded indefinitely, relying off the free food and lodging provided by a seafarers’ union he is a member of. He is also thousands of miles away from his pregnant wife who lives in Butuan.

“I thought it will just pass and we could go on with our normal routines but as time went by, the pandemic got worse affecting many countries and infecting thousands of people.

Then it hit me – our job at sea will likewise be affected,” Burlado reflected on the global nature of his job.

With city and provincial borders closing down and public transportation halted, Burlado had no other choice but to stay indoors to keep himself safe from the sweeping virus. “I am grateful that the Amosup provided us free lodging, food and hygiene kits at their dorm here in Manila because right now, I am among those who have no income to sustain basic needs,” he said.

The Associated Marine Officers and Seafarers Union of the Philippines (Amosup) is the largest and one of the oldest seafarers’ union in the country that protects the welfare and labor-related rights of Filipino mariners. It is also affiliated with the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF), the biggest labor union in the world.

What bothers Burlado more, however, is not his daily means of survival in Manila. The young seafarer expressed his deep concern over the safety and condition of his wife, Rose Anne, who is three months pregnant with their second child and caring for their five-year old daughter and a younger niece.

“She’s in constant pain with throbbing in her hips and she couldn’t walk well due to her pregnancy. She was scheduled for a regular check with her doctor but there’s no one to bring her to the hospital and there’s a risk of contracting the virus if ever she goes there. Her options are limited to none,” Burlado shared with much distress.

“I am very much willing to comply with government regulations of staying indoors but I really hope they find a way to send us back home to our provinces. I think we are much safer there and we could take care of our family as well,” he said.

Burlado’s worries over the well-being of his family in Butuan is somehow alleviated by the help of his parents and in-laws. His wife also has small business where she sells deserts online to cover for the family’s necessities.

“I am grateful that we somehow manage to cope with our basic needs through the help of our family in Butuan and Amosuphere in Manila. We are just hoping that the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration would find a way to hasten the release of financial help to us stranded seafarers because we are basically jobless and we have our families to provide for,” he said.

“Right now, I can only hope to be with my family in this trying times and I constantly pray that this pandemic will soon be over,” he added.

Lessons learned

Burlado graduated from Agusan Institute of Technology in 2008 with a degree in BS Marine Transportation. Taking the same path as his father who was an associate marine engineer in the domestic shipping industry, the young man pursued a career at sea to provide a better life for his family.

“I had a part-time job as a dining crew for a fast food chain when I was in third-year college. The work was hard but it barely helped with my school fees. I was determined then to graduate and work on a ship so I could earn a more decent living for me and my family,”
he said.

“From what I’ve learned from my father’s stories, working at sea is very dangerous – there are storms and the labors onboard are difficult. Nonetheless, I enjoyed every bit of my journey as a seafarer as I got to meet new people, learn new things and explore places,” Burlado added.

Upon graduating, he worked with Gothong Lines’ cargo container fleet until opportunity to sail internationally opened up for him in a bulk carrier trade route.

Having been used to hard work, Burlado learned that survival goes beyond diligence in labor. “This pandemic has taught me to prepare for the inevitable – save money, invest in business, health and life insurance. It also made me realize and appreciate more the time spent with my family,” he added.