A Filipino seaman (name withheld for privacy) who worked for a Taiwanese fishing vessel for eight years confided that he suffered under worst condition while he was employed as fisherman. The man who just signed-off last July 2008 was recruited together with other local folks in the rural areas of northern Philippines.
According to the man, most of the recruits did not undergo basic maritime training and have incomplete papers in violation of International Maritime Organization’s laws and regulations. The Taiwanese employers, based on the accounts of the seaman, never required recruits to have a seaman’s book. Salary is below international standard for seafarers and worse, it is being held for about a year upon signing-on.
The poor and untrained recruits and rustic they come from, have nothing to do but accept their fate. They chose not to make any scene because in the first place, they knew nothing about seafaring in general. They‘re happened to be in Taiwanese vessels only because for work and for money which is, unfortunately, not available in their country of origin.
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