Manila – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has announced that he will not attend the 28th Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) in Dubai. In a social media post, Marcos stated that he would instead convene a meeting to dispatch a high-level delegation to Tehran, Iran, to assist 17 Filipino seafarers held hostage by Houthi rebels on a ship in the Red Sea.
According to Philippines News Agency, Marcos was scheduled to leave Manila on Thursday morning for Dubai but decided to prioritize addressing the hostage situation. He has designated Environment Secretary Ma. Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga to lead the COP28 delegation and articulate the country's statement on his behalf.
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) reported that the Filipino seafarers are safe and is coordinating with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and foreign governments for their imminent release, hopefully before Christmas. The 17 Filipino seafarers were part of the 25-member crew of the cargo ship Galaxy Leader, hijacked on November 19, including nationals from Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, and Mexico.
