The International Labour Organization (ILO), in collaboration with the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and the National Maritime Polytechnic (NMP), launched the report Lost in Transit: Philippines Migrant Fishers in the United Kingdom Fishing Industry at the DMW-NMP Maritime Research, Education, and Training (MRET) Summit held on 25–26 September in Manila. Produced under the EU-funded Ship to Shore Rights South-East Asia programme, the report highlights how transit visas create gaps that leave Filipino fishers in the UK vulnerable to exploitation, forced labour, and exclusion from legal protections.
The MRET Summit brought together government officials, civil society, trade unions, industry representatives, and international partners to discuss broader maritime challenges, including digitalization and environmental regulations. The event provided a platform for the ILO to advance the report’s policy recommendations, including stronger UK–Philippines cooperation, harmonized contracts, and ratification of key ILO conventions such as the Work in Fishing Convention, 2007 (No. 188).
Khalid Hassan, Director of the ILO Country Office for the Philippines, emphasized that the report exposes hidden realities faced by Filipino migrant fishers in the UK and called for governments, employers, and recruitment agencies to ensure migration governance is based on fairness, dignity, and international labour standards. He stressed the importance of closing legal loopholes and creating pathways to decent work at sea.
DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac highlighted the government’s commitment to ensuring decent work, fair wages, and safe workplaces for Filipinos in the maritime industry. He noted that the DMW is developing a standard contract for Filipino seafarers, including a specific contract for migrant fishers, to promote fairness and protect their rights in line with international standards.
The Ship to Shore Rights South-East Asia programme is a regional initiative funded by the European Union and implemented by the ILO in partnership with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The programme aims to promote safe migration and decent work in the fish and seafood supply chain across South-East Asia, addressing vulnerabilities and risks that can lead to labour rights abuses and forced labour.
