Visit by representatives of the Philippines

The Deputy Director, Liliana Monsalve, was delighted to welcome representatives from the Republic of the Philippines to the IOPC Funds’ offices on 6 July 2023, including Commander Robert N Patrimonio and Captain Weneil Azcuna, from the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).

During the visit, the discussions focused on the advancements made in the submission of claims related to the Princess Empress incident.  The local office established in the Philippines by the IOPC Funds jointly with the Shipowners’ Club, has received nearly
15 000 claims so far.  Mrs Monsalve explained that a large majority of these claims are directly linked to the fisheries sector and mostly originate from artisanal fishery.  The Secretariat will be reporting on the progress made on assessing these claims at the next session of the 1992 Fund Executive Committee which will take place in November 2023.

On behalf of the IOPC Funds, Mrs Monsalve expressed her sincere appreciation for the exceptional cooperation demonstrated by the PCG from the outset of this incident. She commented that this cooperation had contributed significantly to response to complex situations and challenges that have arisen from the Princess Empress incident.

Further information regarding the latest developments in the incident can be found at: www.princessempressinformationcentre.com

Specific information for claimants, including claim forms, which are available in both English and Tagalog, can be found here.