The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has officially designated five specific maritime regions around the world as "warlike" zones, a move that grants Filipino seafarers significant new rights, including the option to refuse voyages into these dangerous waters or to receive substantial additional compensation.
List of High-Risk Maritime Zones
Issued under Advisory 39-2025, the DMW's declaration is based on the assessment of the Warlike Operations Area Committee (WOAC) of the International Bargaining Forum (IBF). The department stated that these designations apply to all vessels, whether moving or stationary, including those anchored or berthed within the specified areas.
The five locations classified as Warlike Operations Areas (WOA) are:
- The waters within 12 nautical miles of the mainland Yemeni coast, encompassing all ports.
- The southern Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, with a boundary stretching from the Yemeni coast to the Eritrea coast.
- The Sea of Azov and the Strait of Kerch.
- The Northern Black Sea Region.
- All ports located in Ukraine.
Enhanced Benefits and Compensation for Seafarers
For Filipino crew members on vessels scheduled to enter these WOA zones, the DMW mandates a suite of enhanced benefits. The key entitlements include a bonus equal to the seafarer's basic wage, payable for a minimum of five days and for each additional day spent in the area.
More critically, compensation for death and disability occurring in these zones will be doubled. Seafarers also have the unequivocal right to refuse sailing into these areas. If they exercise this right, they are entitled to repatriation at the company's expense plus compensation equivalent to two months' basic wage. Companies are also required to increase security arrangements in these zones.
Other Risk Classifications: HRA and Extended Risk Zones
Beyond the WOA list, the DMW also identified other risk categories. The Black Sea—specifically the area from the Ukrainian/Romanian border and along the Crimean Peninsula coastline—is tagged as a High Risk Area (HRA).
In HRAs, seafarers receive a bonus equal to their basic wage for the actual duration of transit or stay, along with doubled death and disability compensation. The right to refuse sailing, with the same repatriation and two-month wage compensation, also applies, though security enhancements are recommended rather than mandatory.
Furthermore, the Gulf of Guinea, including its ports, terminals, and waterways, is considered an Extended Risk Zone. Here, the bonus equal to basic wage is payable only on the day a vessel is attacked by pirates. Similarly, doubled compensation for death or disability applies only if the incident occurs on the day of an attack.
The DMW confirmed that this latest list of designations will remain in effect until January 23, 2026. This proactive measure aims to safeguard the welfare of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) navigating increasingly perilous global sea routes.
