Statement

Statement of the President



It is with utmost joy that, after more than a year of captivity in Yemen, I announce the safe release of all seventeen [ 17 ] Filipino seafarers, together with the rest of the crewmembers of M/V Galaxy Leader. Our Filipino seafarers are now in the care of our Philippine Embassy in Muscat, Oman and will be reunited with their loved ones in the Philippines very soon.

Allow me to express my gratitude to His Majesty Haitham bin Tarik, Sultan of Oman and his government for their successful mediation, which led to the eventual release and safe passage of our countrymen through Oman.

I commend the concerned Philippine Government Agencies and private instrumentalities who worked tirelessly with foreign governments and entities for more than 429 days in making this momentous development possible.

As this saga of our brave Filipino seafarers comes to a joyful conclusion, let me remind everyone that—they are the reason why I signed Republic Act No. 12021—known as the Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers into law. This is to protect their rights and overall welfare, to promote their full employment and to ensure equal opportunities in the maritime industry—regardless of gender or creed—including equitable access to education, training and development, consistent with existing domestic and international laws, standards and conventions.