The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has assured of continued assistance to Filipino seafarers held captive by Somali pirates through domestic and multilateral channels.

At the domestic level, the DFA Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs (DFA-OUMWA) is closely coordinating with the Philippine Embassies involved and the seafarers' manning agencies to get updates on the negotiations between the pirates and the ships' principals, as well as to ensure the safety and well-being of the seafarers.

The DFA-OUMWA also ensures that the manning agency continue to give the salaries and other financial benefits of the seafarers to their families here. They will also meet with the families to update them on the condition of their captive next of kin.

DFA stressed that it is against government policy to negotiate directly with the pirates. The DFA closely coordinates with the manning agencies and the ships' principals who are directly undertaking efforts to secure the safe release of the ships and its crew.

Earlier, the government has dispatched armed forces liaison officer Navy Lieutenant Gaudencio Rosales to work and coordinate with the Joint Naval Forces on anti-piracy efforts at the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean.

Lieutenant Collado is based in Bahrain, where the Joint Naval Forces is headquartered. Since 2006, 542 Filipino seafarers onboard 45 vessels have been hijacked in the Gulf of Aden. Of the number, 461 seafarers onboard 39 vessels have been released.

DFA said there was no incident in the past cases that a Filipino seafarer was intentionally hurt by the pirates.

At the multilateral level, the DFA is pushing for the Philippine membership in the United Nations Contact Group Against Policy.

Deputy Permanent Representative (DPR) to the UN in New York and Charge d'Affaires Carlos Sorreta urged the UN Security Council for greater global cooperation in the fight against piracy off the coast of Somalia, and welcomed the report of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon containing proposals that seek to address this issue.

"To fight piracy, we believe that broader cooperation is key and it is in this context that we welcome the report of the Secretary-General. The security, protection and welfare of Filipino seafarers have always been the primary concerns of the Philippine government – concerns which I am sure are shared by others with nationals serving on these ships," he said in the UN Security Council meeting held last August 25.

In calling for greater global action, Sorreta cited the importance of giving due regard to the victims, saying "beyond ships and cargoes, there is the crew."

"Many suffer prolonged captivity, some as long as ten months. It is a testimony to their courage, clear thinking and fortitude that they survive. It is a tribute to their resilience and that of their families that many are able to return to the sea," he added.

Sorreta also recognized that the root causes of piracy can be found in the current political and security situation in Somalia.

"Piracy is a grave threat to international security and we join others in citing the importance of addressing its roots causes through a comprehensive approach. We are grateful to the many countries involved and committed to this task," he pointed out.

Sorreta shared the actions being taken by the Philippines, including working with other states, ship owners, and manning agencies to ensure the safety of Filipino seafarers.