MANILA, Philippines -- The resolution of the Philippine Overseas
Employment Administration' governing board on the pirate-prone areas has been delayed over practical issues raised by manning agencies deploying Filipino seamen, but was expected to be out this week, POEA Administrator Jennifer Manalili said.In an interview, Manalili said the manning agencies, whose inputs have been sought for the resolution that would cover Filipino seafarers on ships passing by the high-risk Gulf of Aden, have agreed on giving premium pay for the 40- to 48-hour duration of the transit through the gulf. Manalili said Filipino seafarers who would agree to board ships that would pass through the Gulf of Aden would get premium pay in their regular salaries, leaves, and overtimes. She said even those detained by the pirates would be entitled to this premium pay. (Currently, there are still 82 Filipino seafarers held by suspected
Somali pirates in seven ships: 20 in M/T Stella Maris, hijacked July
20; 15 in M/T Irene, August 21; two in M/T Iran Deyanat, August 21; two in M/T Stolt Valor, September 14; 26 in M/T Centauri, September
17; and 17 in M/T Captain Stefanos, September 21.) However, the parties are still finalizing the exact coordinates of the high-risk zone. "Adjustments to the coordinates should conform to internationally defined patrol areas and the security corridor," she said. The issue of Filipino seafarers who wish to disembark at the last port before the ship goes through the Gulf of Aden is also still unresolved, she said. "The right [of the seafarers] to sign off is already agreed, but some questions need to be answered: Who will replace them? When is the suitable time to manifest [the disembarkation] in writing? How long should it be done before the ship enters the gulf? What is the cost and procedure of replacement?" she said. "Buti na lang kung may nag-aabang na kapalit dun sa port na yun [It's unlikely that there will be replacements at the port where they will disembark]," she added. Manalili said she was hoping that all these issues would be resolved before the end of the week so that the resolution could be released and would be enforced. "You cannot hurry these things because there are international implications," she noted. Seafaring, which is dominated by Filipinos, is covered by international conventions to which the Philippines is a signatory. At the same time, the new POEA chief called on the international community to help put a stop to the hijackings. She said she was asking the Department of Foreign Affairs to explore diplomatic means to call for international cooperation against crime in the high seas. | 
