Manning agency of 36 still missing Pinoy crew seeks more help for search, rescue ops

The local manning agency of the Filipino crew aboard ill-fated Gulf Livestock 1 is requesting the Philippine government to ask help from other countries in finding the 36 still missing seafarers.

Interviewed on GMA News’ Unang Balita on Monday, manning agency president Elias delos Reyes said they already reached out to President Rodrigo Duterte and Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr.

Delos Reyes said the manning agency suggested requesting help from Chinese and Korean governments to also conduct search and rescue operations since Gulf Livestock 1 went missing around international waters and not actually in Japan.

“Kung puwedeng i-request namin na ang China and Korean government to help with the search and rescue. Hinihiling lang naman baka lang naman, pupuwedeng makatulong sila,” he added.

Delos Reyes said that the search and rescue operation of Japan has not resumed yet due to the bad weather brought  by Typhoon Haishen.

On Saturday, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said rescue operations stopped on Friday night due to Haishen.

For now, the manning agency is coordinating with Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) in Japan to follow up the resumption of the operations.

“Nangako sa atin ang POLO Office. We're coordinating with the POLO in Japan through Labor Attaché (Elizabeth Marie) Estrada,” Delos Reyes.

“Ipa-follow up natin 'yung search and rescue na ituloy kaya minomonitor din namin 'yung typhoon. Talagang ipu-push natin na ituloy kaagad 'yung search and rescue,” he added.

Of the 39 Filipino crew who were initially reported missing, two have been rescued. Bello identified them as Jay-Nel Rosales and  Sareno Edvarodo.

Another person, presumably a Filipino, was also found but had died.

“Ang latest kasi mas maganda 'yung narration at kuwento ni Rosales, kasi nararadyuhan daw sila na sila na lang daw ang inaantay doon sa bridge, doon sa ibabaw ng barko,” Delos Reyes said.

“So malaki ang pag-asa namin na maraming kasama ang kapitan. Yun ang plano niya siguro strategy niya….So it presume na marami na na tao, yun ang diskarte ng kapitan, na marami sila,” he added.

According to Delos Reyes, survivor Rosales was not able to go to the bridge or the room where the captain and officers can man the entire operations of the vessel.

“Kaya nga lang, unfortunately, hindi makatawid-tawid 'yang nag-survive, si Rosales. Hindi siya makatawid-tawid, sabi niya nandoon siya sa rooftop. So sabi niya, ‘Mag-ingat na lang kayo’,” he said. — RSJ, GMA News