2nd Pinoy survivor of missing cattle ship named: DOLE

FILE: Department of Labor and Employment Secretary Silvestre Bello III during a press conference on Thursday (Sept. 27, 2018), which is held at the DOLE main office in Intramuros, Manila. (PNA photo by Gil Calinga)

MANILA – The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on Saturday has identified the second rescued Filipino crew member of the capsized Panamanian-flagged vessel Gulf Livestock 1.

Citing the report from the Philippine Overseas Labor Office in Osaka, Japan, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III identified the second survivor as Jay-Nel Rosales, 30, from Cebu.

The report added that Rosales, who was rescued by patrol boat Kaimon, is stable and able to walk on his own.

Bello said Rosales, who was taken to the Kagoshima-ken Kenritsu Ooshima Hospital for a complete medical check-up, had talked with his family in Cebu.

The POLO report added that a separate body, believed to be that of another Filipino crew, was fished out of the waters. The body has yet to be identified.

Meanwhile, Bello assured that the government is ready to provide all necessary assistance to the survivors and the families of the missing Filipino crew members of the ill-fated cargo ship that sank off the coast of Japan last week.

“We are in touch with the next of kin of the crew and we are providing them all the help we can give, including the latest information on the search and rescue operation for our kababayans being done by Japanese authorities,” he said in a statement.

The first to be rescued was the ship’s chief officer Eduardo Sareno, from Oslob, Cebu. He is still at the hospital and will be brought to a hotel for his quarantine later this week.

Sareno was also provided with a mobile phone to communicate with his family in the Philippines.

“We are updating the relatives of our unfortunate Filipino crewmen every time we receive information from the Japanese Coast Guard who is on top of the search and rescue operation,” Bello said.

He added that the POLO in Japan is on hand to provide the all needs of the rescued seafarers, including their personal requirements.

Bello said since all crew members are active members of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, they are entitled to all benefits and assistance due to distressed members.