The United Filipino Seafarers (UFS) has expressed its concern of the continuous decrease of Filipino seafarers deployment from 2016 until 2017. Namely, in December 2017, the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency (POEA) logged 378,072 deployed sea-based workers, in comparison to 442,820 in 2016.
UFS President Nelson Ramirez said that besides international economic turmoil, the decline in the deployment of Filipino seafarers can be explained by the increase of ‘ambulance chasers’.
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Ambulance chasers are workers that demand compensation based on fictional injury claims. This tactic makes shipowners to not want to work in the Philippines and with its seafarers.
What is more, Mr. Ramirez said that many top manning agencies in the country are frustrated with the increase of seafarers that are cooperating with ambulance chasers.
Confirming this, CF Sharp Crew Management President and CEO Miguel Rocha said they lost about 1,000 crew because of ambulance chasing controversy.
Nelson Ramirez concluded by calling stakeholders to stop ambulance chasing by making a manifesto and submitting it to the lawmakers.
