After much prodding and follow-ups, the 16 seafarers finally received 1,000 USD on Friday, September 25, 2016 for their daily expenses. The money was given by Arpaphil, the seamen’s contractor in the Philippines.
The group of Filipino seafarers has been stranded in the Gulf of Koh Si Chang since June 16 after their employer failed to give their salaries and plane tickets back to Manila. Since then, the Philippine Embassy in Bangkok and the Filipino Community in Thailand have been supporting the group with their food and some medicine. International organization Stella Mariz and the Thai government have also stepped in to aid the Pinoy seamen.
OFW QuickServANTS United 4Du30 Thailand Chapter, an organized group of Filipino Overseas Filipino Workers in Thailand has made repeated appeal to the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency (POEA) and other concerned agencies to provide financial assistance which was immediately acted upon by the POEA.
The money was given directly to the seamen in Sri Racha who then informed the Embassy of the said financial assistance.
Ms. Nelly Palpallatoc, President of OFW Quick Servants for Duterte Thailand Chapter in an interviewed with PinoyThaiyo expressed her gratefulness to POEA Administrator Leo Hanz Cacdac, Director Rosemari Duquez, Joe Biasong of OFW Helpdesk and Chot Velasquez of QuickServANTS United 4Du30 for helping the seafarers.