The Price of the Sea
Mental Health, Abandonment, and War Zones: The Hidden Crisis Facing Filipino Seafarers
For twenty-four days, fifteen Filipino seafarers survived on nothing but boiled rice.
Their Sierra Leone-flagged vessel had lost power when the main generator failed, then the emergency backup. The shipping company went silent. The chief cook burned firewood to prepare what little food remained. When that ran out, the crew boiled the rice stores—one meal at a time—and waited for rescue that seemed like it might never come. They eventually drifted their crippled ship toward Morocco, where authorities finally intervened.
This was September 2024. It was not an isolated incident.
The Philippines supplies more than a quarter of the world’s 1.89 million seafarers—approximately 579,000 Filipino mariners deployed in 2023 alone. Every year, these workers remit over $6.5 billion to the Philippine economy. They are celebrated as bagong bayani—new heroes. They receive presidential commendations. Their labor keeps global trade moving: ninety percent of everything we consume travels by sea.
But behind the impressive statistics lies a profession increasingly defined by mental health crises, abandonment, and now, active war zones. This is what official numbers rarely capture: the human cost of a career at sea.
Part 1: The Mental Health Crisis at Sea
The Numbers That Should Alarm Us
A 2024 study by the National Maritime Polytechnic titled “Assessing the Mental Health and Well-Being of Filipino Seafarers” documented a troubling trajectory. From 2018 to 2022, 189 Filipino seafarers were diagnosed with mental disorders—with cases nearly tripling over five years: 23 in 2018, 25 in 2019, 34 in 2020, 43 in 2021, and 64 in 2022.
Anxiety disorders accounted for 46 percent of diagnoses. Depressive disorders followed at 39 percent. Schizophrenia and post-traumatic stress disorder each represented about 6 percent.
The most devastating statistic: suicide cases rose from one in 2018 to nine in 2022. Global data from Gard’s 2025 crew claims report confirms this crisis extends beyond the Philippines—suicide now accounts for more seafarer deaths than accidental injuries, representing 11 percent of all deaths at sea from 2019 to 2023. Yale University research found that one in five surveyed crew members had experienced suicidal thoughts.
Who Suffers Most
The data reveals patterns. Seafarers aged 30 to 39 were most affected, representing 43 percent of mental health cases—the years when career demands collide with young families left behind. Those aged 40 to 49 followed at 26 percent, then workers in their twenties at 21 percent.
Vessel type matters too. Passenger ships showed the highest rates at 33 percent, followed by dry cargo and tanker vessels at 24 percent each.
But the primary drivers cut across all demographics: marital and family conflicts accounted for 54 percent of cases, work-related stress for 40 percent, and adjustment difficulties for 21 percent.
The Paradox of Connectivity
In December 2024, amendments to the Maritime Labour Convention made mandatory the provision of “regular and reliable” internet access to improve mental health at sea. The intention was compassionate. A survey by WELCOME Maritime Wi-Fi found that 76 percent of seafarers connect with family multiple times daily, with 91 percent emphasizing that excellent internet access is vital for their wellbeing.
But connectivity has proven to be a double-edged sword.
“Internet access has made seafarers more aware of the problems their families face back home,” noted Elena Santos of the National Maritime Polytechnic. A sick child, a struggling spouse, a family crisis—now seafarers witness these events in real time from thousands of miles away, powerless to help.
And staying connected comes at a steep price. Inmarsat research found seafarers spend an average of 8 percent of their annual salary on internet connectivity. For those earning the ILO minimum of $600 to $700 monthly, this means 10 to 14 percent of disposable income goes to staying connected—a cruel choice between financial security and emotional survival.
Part 2: Abandonment—The Crisis That Doubled in 2024
A Record-Breaking Disaster
According to the International Transport Workers’ Federation, 2024 was the worst year on record for seafarer abandonment:
- 312 vessels abandoned, up from 132 in 2023—a 136 percent increase
- 3,133 seafarers stranded, up from 1,676 in 2023—an 87 percent increase
- 273 Filipino seafarers abandoned, the fourth-highest nationality affected
- $20.1 million owed in unpaid wages
- 28 ships abandoned multiple crews within the same year
What Abandonment Means in Practice
In the Philippines, six Filipino seafarers aboard the MV Herman Star spent nearly three months stranded in Iloilo Strait. Their vessel was unseaworthy. They had no power, no proper food, no clean water. They waited for wages that never came.
This is abandonment: not a dramatic shipwreck, but a slow erosion of dignity. Companies disappear. Provisions run out. Crews are left floating in legal limbo, unable to leave their posts without forfeiting any hope of payment, unable to stay without risking their health and sanity.
The Flags of Convenience Problem
Ninety percent of abandoned vessels in 2024 sailed under flags of convenience—countries like Panama (43 vessels), Palau (37), Tanzania (30), and Comoros (29) that register ships for owners seeking to avoid stringent regulations. Twenty vessels had no identifiable flag at all.
The jurisdictional nightmare this creates makes pursuing justice nearly impossible. As ITF Philippine inspector Arvin Peralta explained, even when flag authorities want to solve problems, “they can’t easily run after the owners who are covered by a different law.”
A shipowner in Greece can register a vessel in Palau, crew it with Filipinos, and operate in international waters—leaving workers with no clear legal recourse when things go wrong.
Part 3: War Zones—When Geopolitics Targets Seafarers
The Red Sea Crisis
Since November 2023, Houthi rebels in Yemen have conducted over 100 attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea—a critical shipping lane connecting Asia to Europe via the Suez Canal. Filipino seafarers, comprising a quarter of the global maritime workforce, have been disproportionately affected.
Seven Filipino seafarers have died in Houthi attacks. In March 2024, two Filipinos were killed when a ballistic missile struck the M/V True Confidence—the first fatal Houthi attack on commercial shipping. In June 2024, one Filipino died when the MV Tutor was sunk by a drone boat, the first use of such weapons against merchant vessels. In July 2025, three more Filipino seafarers died when the MV Eternity C sank after a combined drone and RPG attack off Yemen.
These workers were not soldiers. They were merchant sailors—cooks, engineers, deckhands—caught in a conflict that had nothing to do with them.
429 Days of Captivity
The most prolonged ordeal involved seventeen Filipino seafarers aboard the Galaxy Leader, seized in November 2023 and held for more than fourteen months. They were released in January 2025 following the Gaza ceasefire—but only after one crew member contracted malaria during captivity.
During those 429 days, life continued without them. At least one seafarer’s wife gave birth while he was held hostage. He met his son for the first time upon his return to Manila.
The Department of Health noted that while the seafarers showed no visible physical trauma, the department worked to prevent post-traumatic stress disorder from developing. The invisible wounds may take longer to assess.
As of November 2025, nine more Filipino seafarers from the MV Eternity C remain in Houthi custody.
A Government’s Plea
The Department of Migrant Workers issued Department Order No. 1, Series of 2024, requiring shipowners to report any planned transit through the Red Sea or Gulf of Aden and to disclose risks to Filipino crew. But enforcement remains limited.
“Please do not include Filipinos in the Gulf of Aden and Red Sea,” Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac pleaded in July 2025. “The risk has returned as recurrent. And please, please avoid the Red Sea.”
It was less a regulation than a prayer.
Part 4: The Economics of Becoming a Seafarer
The Price of Entry
For many Filipino families, maritime careers represent hope—a path to middle-class stability through overseas wages. But that path requires significant upfront investment.
Maritime education in the Philippines ranges dramatically in cost. Budget private schools charge ₱15,000 to ₱20,000 per semester. Mid-range institutions run ₱25,000 to ₱35,000. Established schools cost ₱40,000 to ₱75,000 per semester, while premium academies charge ₱100,000 to ₱150,000 or more.
The Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers, signed in September 2024, requires maritime schools to set up training ships and simulators—essential equipment for modern maritime education. But the Philippine Association of Maritime Institutions, representing 73 schools, warned this mandate could push tuition to ₱200,000 or more per term.
“Our students are sons and daughters of farmers, construction workers, tricycle drivers,” said PAMI president Sabino Czar Manglicmot II. “To put this as a requirement, we have no source of funds except to raise tuition fees.”
The Hidden Costs
Beyond tuition, aspiring seafarers face boarding house fees of approximately ₱2,500 monthly in Manila, living expenses of around ₱5,500 monthly, mandatory training courses after graduation, and months—sometimes years—waiting for their first placement, often with minimal or no allowance.
For students without scholarships or company sponsors, the path from enrollment to first voyage can cost hundreds of thousands of pesos, often financed through family debt. The career meant to lift families from poverty sometimes buries them deeper first.
Part 5: Life on Board
Measuring Happiness at Sea
Since 2015, the Mission to Seafarers has conducted quarterly Seafarer Happiness Index surveys. The Q2 2025 report showed overall happiness at 7.54 out of 10—up from 6.91 in late 2024. The improvement sounds encouraging until you examine what lies beneath the average.
Optimal happiness occurs in the six-to-nine-month contract range, scoring 7.8 out of 10. Beyond that window, satisfaction drops measurably. The data confirms what seafarers know intuitively: extended deployments damage mental health.
What Seafarers Report
Shore leave remains elusive. Tight duty schedules, quick port turnarounds, remote terminals, and expensive transportation make leave impractical even when technically permitted. Many seafarers spend entire contracts without setting foot on solid ground beyond the dock.
Safe manning emerged as the most critical concern. Diminishing crew sizes combined with aging vessel infrastructure create unsustainable workloads. Junior officers report working “six on, six off” watches with paperwork demands that make genuine rest impossible.
Wages have improved in satisfaction rankings, but concerns persist about stagnation against inflation. As one respondent noted, “Seafarers wages has not been revised since ages.”
Safety remains inconsistent. Preventable accidents—falls from height, enclosed space incidents, electrocutions—still occur regularly. Some operators allegedly use “riding squads” of uncertified workers to bypass manning requirements, placing entire crews at risk.
The Isolation Factor
“Nasa engine kami, nasa baba kami. Pag labas mo, wala nang araw, parang wala ka ring nakikitang liwanag.”
(“We work in the engine, at the bottom of the ship. When you get out, the sun has set, like you don’t see light at all.”)
With contracts lasting up to twelve months—the maximum allowed under the Maritime Labour Convention—seafarers miss birthdays, graduations, first steps, and sometimes the births of their own children. The Yale University study identified six major challenges facing maritime workers: obtaining contracts, long-duration deployments, communication difficulties at sea, the burden on families left behind, unstable work contracts, and the near-impossibility of planning for retirement.
Part 6: The Legal Framework—Progress and Gaps
The Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers
Republic Act No. 12021, signed by President Marcos in September 2024, represents the most significant legislative protection Filipino seafarers have received. It provides comprehensive rights aligned with international standards, fair contracts, freedom from discrimination, protection against illegal recruitment, mandatory 80 percent remittance to designated family members, and full payment of wages to abandoned seafarers.
However, critics note the law was significantly diluted from original proposals. Protections for fishers were removed. Coverage for domestic seafarers was limited. Job security provisions that would have offered more stable employment were stripped out during legislative negotiations.
The Contractual Worker Problem
Filipino seafarers remain classified as contractual employees, not regular workers. The Supreme Court has ruled that fixed-term contracts are “essential and a natural consequence of overseas employment.”
This classification means seafarers have no legal access to benefits assured to permanent employees: no security of tenure, no monthly allowance between contracts, no 13th month pay, no retirement benefits, no pension plan. When a contract ends, so does the relationship—regardless of years served with the same company.
This vulnerability is sometimes framed as competitive advantage. Filipino seafarers cost less to employ than workers from countries with stronger labor protections. Their “flexibility” is their marketability—and their exposure.
Part 7: Protecting Yourself—A Decision Framework
Before Pursuing a Maritime Career
Calculate the true costs honestly. Add tuition across all years, boarding expenses, living costs, mandatory post-graduation training, and the waiting period before your first placement. Can your family afford this without taking on dangerous debt? If the answer requires optimistic assumptions, reconsider.
Research scholarship programs thoroughly. The Maritime Academy of Asia and the Pacific, Marlow Navigation, and several shipping companies offer scholarships covering tuition, training, and guaranteed placements. Competition is fierce, but these programs exist.
Understand the psychological reality before committing. Months of isolation, separation from family during critical moments, high-stress environments, and limited recourse when things go wrong—these are not exceptions but norms. Assess honestly whether you and your family can cope.
Consider alternatives. Are there other paths to your financial goals that carry less risk? This is not failure to consider; it is wisdom.
During Your Career
Verify your manning agency’s registration with the Department of Migrant Workers. Report any illegal recruitment fees immediately.
Know your rights under the POEA Standard Employment Contract: maximum twelve-month contracts, 80 percent remittance requirements, and guaranteed medical care.
Document everything. Keep records of working hours, conditions, and all communications with your employer and agency. If abandonment or abuse occurs, you will need evidence.
Understand your Red Sea rights specifically. You can refuse to sail if informed your vessel will transit the Red Sea. If you accept the risk, you are entitled to double compensation.
Prioritize your mental health actively. Use connectivity to maintain family bonds, but set boundaries to protect yourself from constant crisis exposure. Engage in shipboard social activities. Seek help early if you are struggling—waiting until crisis makes recovery harder.
If Things Go Wrong
For abandonment, contact the International Transport Workers’ Federation immediately at www.itfseafarers.org. Document your conditions thoroughly. Under the Maritime Labour Convention, you are entitled to wages and repatriation regardless of your employer’s financial situation.
For abuse or trafficking, contact the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking hotline at 1343 or the DMW hotline at 1348.
For mental health crises, reach OWWA teleconsultation services at 1348 or the National Center for Mental Health at 0917-899-USAP (8727).
For wage theft, file complaints with the Department of Migrant Workers. Manning agencies can be suspended or lose their licenses based on verified complaints.
Emergency Contacts and Resources
Department of Migrant Workers: Hotline 1348 | connect@dmw.gov.ph
OWWA: Hotline 1348 | owwa.gov.ph
Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT): Hotline 1343
International Transport Workers’ Federation: www.itfseafarers.org
Mission to Seafarers: www.missiontoseafarers.org
National Center for Mental Health: 0917-899-USAP (8727)
Associated Marine Officers’ and Seamen’s Union of the Philippines (AMOSUP): www.amosup.org
Final Thoughts: Heroism Should Not Mean Martyrdom
The global economy floats on the labor of 1.89 million seafarers. The phones in our pockets, the fuel in our vehicles, the food on our tables, the clothes on our backs—ninety percent of it traveled by sea, handled by workers who spend months in conditions that would be illegal on land.
Filipino seafarers are called heroes. They receive commendations and commemorative stamps. Their remittances are essential to the national economy, celebrated in speeches and statistics.
But heroism should not require martyrdom.
The mental health crisis at sea is not inevitable. It is the predictable result of isolation without adequate support, connectivity without genuine connection, and economic pressure that forces workers to accept conditions they know are harmful.
Abandonment is not a force of nature. It is the consequence of regulatory arbitrage—shipowners exploiting flags of convenience to escape accountability while workers bear all the risk.
War zones are not acceptable shipping routes when the lives of civilian workers are at stake. The bodies washing ashore in Yemen are not acceptable costs of doing business.
For those considering a maritime career: enter with clear eyes. Understand not just the salary figures but the full human cost—the birthdays missed, the mental strain, the physical dangers, the legal vulnerabilities. The industry needs workers, but you do not owe the industry your life.
For those already at sea: know your rights. Document your conditions. Connect with unions and advocacy organizations. Do not suffer in silence, and do not let companies convince you that exploitation is simply how things work.
And for those of us on land, receiving the goods that seafarers deliver: recognize what your convenience costs. These workers deserve more than our gratitude. They deserve protections that match the risks they take on our behalf.
The sea will always be dangerous. But much of what harms seafarers today is not the ocean—it is us.
