21 November 2018 LONDON—The Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) of the Philippine Embassy in London is coordinating the appropriate response to the case of Filipino seafarer Dennis Gomaz Regana who perished when a steel container dropped on him at Southbank Quay, Ringsend, Dublin on 14 November while he was doing lashing work as part of container lifting operations on his vessel. Regana was a crew member of the Antigua and Barbuda-flagged containership MV Francop.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of Mr. Regana. The Embassy is coordinating closely with Outreach Ireland and with local authorities in Dublin regarding this unfortunate event,” said Ambassador Antonio M. Lagdameo. “The Embassy will make sure that his family will receive the benefits stipulated in his employment contract as well as the benefits from his OWWA membership. We will also work with Ireland to ensure that this tragedy will not happen to any Filipino worker again.”

The Embassy’s Welfare Officer Connie C. Marquez reported to the Ambassador that the deceased seafarer’s active OWWA membership ensures that Regana’s family will receive death benefits of Php 200,000, funeral grant of Php 20,000, scholarship grant for one of his children until he or she finishes college, and a start-up capital of Php 15,000 to enable his family to start a small business.

The Embassy is coordinating with Regana’s employers and recruitment agency to arrange for the immediate repatriation of his remains. Embassy officials are also closely monitoring the investigation of this incident by Ireland's Health and Safety Authority (HSA). END