THERE are more than 400,000 Filipino seafarers deployed overseas, roughly 35-40 percent of the world’s mariners, and 60,000 more working in domestic routes.
Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya made the disclosure in his speech during the commencement exercise of more than 1,000 graduates of marines courses at the University of Cebu-Maritime Education Training Center (UC-METC) last April 3.
Abaya praised UC-METC, which he said is known for excellence in academic training.
He said UC-METC was named Region 7’s “Maritime Training Center of the
Year” by the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina).
“From January to November 2013 alone, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas reported that sea-based overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) remitted US$4.765 billion to the Philippines, which is equivalent to a whopping P213 billion infused into our local economy,” he said.
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/local...ariners-336851
If Filipinos as a constituency would stage a strike...
(Which they should because they are overworked, underpaid and ignored)
Then the worldwide shipping industry would grind to a halt.
