Six overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) stranded aboard a foreign vessel anchored off Loboc in Iloilo City for two months were rescued on Monday evening, June 30.

The OFWs, three from Iloilo and one each from Batangas, Cebu and Manila, have been on board MV Hirman Star, together with seven Indian nationals, since April 3, 2025.

The ship, which arrived from Vietnam carrying bags of rice in August 2024, remained docked after being found unseaworthy and lacking a valid trading certificate during an inspection by the Philippine Coast Guard/Port State Control.

Since August, the ship changed its crew twice.

In a June 28 letter to Iloilo City Representative Julienne Baronda, the crew appealed for help, saying they had not received food and water supplies since May 12 and that the Indian seafarers had gone unpaid for three months.

A port clearance was issued on May 7, but they did not proceed due to “unseaworthiness,” they said.

“Our last supply of food and water was last May 12, 2025,” they added.

On Monday, Baronda convened the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), Philippine Coast Guard, Bureau of Customs, Bureau of Immigration, Maritime Industry Authority, and the crewing agency, which led to the rescue.

The distressed OFWs each received financial assistance of P100,000 from DMW and OWWA.

The crewing agency provided them with hotel accommodation and will subject them to a medical examination yesterday.

The agency will also facilitate their transport back to their respective places after complying with quarantine, immigration, and customs requirements.

Meanwhile, Baronda said that the Indian nationals were expected to disembark yesterday.

She said the Embassy of India had already sent a letter seeking help with their repatriation. (PNA)