Manila, March 9 -- The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) is closely monitoring Filipino seafarers, including a missing crew member, amid the escalating tensions in the Middle East.

Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said the DMW has monitored around 6,300 Filipino seafarers on board the ships navigating the designated high-risk areas in the Middle East.

"We are aware of the situation. We are aware of what happened. The DMW-OWWA (Overseas Workers Welfare Administration) teams have already visited the family. He is missing at the moment, and we are hoping that the search and rescue will yield positive results," he said in a press briefing Sunday evening.

"At this stage, we are already with the family para makiisa sa pamilya (to ...