(NewsPress) A seafaring industry executive on Tuesday revealed US firms are set to hire some 75,000 Filipino seafarers in the next three to four years.

In a meeting with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in Washington, John Padget, president and CEO of Carnival Corp. said his group of companies is set to hire the Filipino seafarers.

Padget, who also represents Carnival Cruise Line, Holland American Airlines and Seaborn, praised Filipino workers for their hospitality and competitiveness in the global workforce.

“It doesn’t matter whether it’s the marine, deck, hospitality, restaurant…everything is based on the happiness, the smile, and the greatness of the Filipino employees,” he said.

In the meeting, Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Susan Ople presented the US firms “the interest of 200,000 Filipinos” who “adhere to fair and ethical standards and principles.”