Upon arrival, Ambassador Philippe Lhuillier received a warm welcome from the ship’s officials and was escorted to the bridge where he paid a courtesy call to Captain Julian Burgess, Master of the MV Azura. The Master thanked the Ambassador for making the extra effort to visit the Filipino crew whom he said were very hardworking and dependable. Ambassador Lhuillier likewise expressed his gratitude to Burgess and his officials for constantly looking after the welfare of the Filipino seafarers who comprise majority of MV Azura’s crew.

After the call, the Ambassador made the rounds on the ship to greet Pinoy seafarers as they observed the International Day of the Seafarer, a special tribute for seafarers annually set by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) on June 25. The international celebration is mandated to give thanks to seafarers for their contribution to the world economy and for the risks and personal costs they take while on the job.

The Ambassador acknowledged the valuable contribution of Filipino seafarers to the national economy and to the global maritime community. He reiterated the Philippine government´s commitment to promote their welfare by constantly reaching out to them. Ambassador Lhuilllier recalled that close to 6,000 Filipino seafarers were able to register in the 2013 National Elections through the Embassy’s Akyat-Barko campaign in 2012.

The Embassy also took the opportunity to be of service to the Filipinos onboard by distributing advisories on HIV-AIDS prevention and treatment, drug mules and guidelines on departure formalities for international-bound passengers from the Philippines. The Embassy took advantage of the visit to remind seafarers about the problems on drug abuse and trafficking in conjunction with the celebration of the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking on June 26. Before leaving, Ambassador Lhuillier handed out tourism brochures and encouraged the seafarers to invite their guests and passengers to come and visit the Philippines. –Rogelio Villanueva