PRESIDENT Marcos Jr. arrived in Berlin in Germany yesterday for a three-day working visit where he is expected to pursue efforts to strengthen ties between the two nations as well as tap the German’s expertise on renewable energy.
The President, accompanied by First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos and several members of the Cabinet, arrived at the Brandenburg International Airport in Berlin at 9:49 p.m. Monday (4:49 a.m. Tuesday in Manila), where they were welcomed by Philippine Ambassador Irene Susan Natividad and officials from the Philippine Embassy in Berlin.
During his March 11 to 13 visit, Marcos will meet with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and discuss, among others, assistance for the Philippines’ energy transition efforts, and strengthening industries like manufacturing, health care, agriculture, aerospace, innovation and startups, information technology-business process management, and minerals processing.
He will also attend a business forum and meet with the Filipino community before proceeding to the Czech Republic for a state visit.
Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega said Germany is expected to provide Filipino seafarers the “highest protection” following the latest Houthi attack in the Gulf of Aden.
During Marcos’ visit, Manila and Berlin are set to sign a joint declaration of intent on strengthening cooperation in the maritime sector, facilitating maritime trade, and mobility of Philippine and German-owned vessels.
Last week, two Filipinos died in an attack by Houthi rebels on the Red Sea merchant vessel True Confidence. The missile attack was the first fatal attack by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on Red Sea shipping. The attacks started in November, or a month after Gaza’s Hamas rebels attacked Israel. The Houthis are saying the attacks is a campaign in solidarity with Palestinians during the war in Gaza.
Seventeen Filipino seafarers are still being held by the Houthi rebels who attacked their cargo ship, the Bahamas-flagged Galaxy Leader cargo, in November last year.
De Vega said the 17 Filipinos are safe and able to contact their families, and reassured their families the government continues to work with governments for their release.
“We’re still working with friendly governments to see if they could be released but the Houthis are consistent in their statement that it would need an end to the war in Gaza before they will release the ship or the seafarers. But at the very least, we know that the seafarers are safe,” he said.
De Vega also reminded Filipino seafarers that under a Department of Migrant Workers’ advisory, issued last February16, they can refuse to go to high-risk areas, or should they choose to proceed, they are entitled to double compensation and benefits.
Areas that have been identified as warlike operations and high-risk areas are Yemeni Coast including all ports, southern section of the Red and Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Guinea including all ports terminals and road anchorage and inland waterways, the Sea Azov and Strait of Kerch, Northern Black Sea Region, all ports in Ukraine, and the Black Sea.
