Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 1) — The Philippine government welcomed the European Commission’s decision to continue to recognize the certificates of Filipino seafarers, and vowed to continue working on other areas for improvement in the maritime sector.
In a statement on Saturday, Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Jaime Bautista said the government is “deeply elated” by the move of the commission, which cited the country’s “serious efforts” to comply with international seafarer standards.
“As the [commission] lauded our cooperation and welcomed our efforts at improving the Philippine system of training and certifying Filipino seafarers, we commit to address the remaining areas identified that require further improvement,” Bautista said.
In December 2021, the European Union (EU) had warned the Philippines that its seafarer certificates would be revoked if it fails to comply with the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW).
A previous audit by the European Maritime Safety Agency on the country found some shortcomings including lack of training equipment and inconsistencies in teaching and assessment.
The government has since boosted efforts to address these gaps. The European Commission lauded the Philippines for these steps, and pledged additional technical assistance to improve education and training of local seafarers.
Bautista welcomed the offer.
“Rest assured we will not waver in our efforts to raise the level of expertise of our seamen to international standards,” he noted.
Crisis averted, jobs saved
The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) also lauded the commission’s ruling, saying that a “crisis of monumental proportions has just been averted.”
“Roughly 50,000 jobs of Filipino masters and officers aboard European vessels have been saved in light of the decision,” the DMW said.
The Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), meanwhile, thanked the EU and other international partners that continue to hire Filipino seafarers.
“Their trust and confidence in Filipino seafarers is something that the country values and as such, all efforts will be made to ensure that we continue to provide them with globally competitive and highly-skilled maritime workforce,” it noted.
Reforms sought
Some lawmakers, on the other hand, renewed the call for reforms in the industry in order to protect the country’s seafarers.
“Let us continue to push for industry-wide reforms,” Senator Risa Hontiveros said.
“Kailangang may natutunan sa naging banta sa hanapbuhay ng ating seafarers (The threat against the livelihood of our seafarers should serve as a lesson). Hence, it is imperative that concerns voiced by seafarers themselves, such as unreasonable fees, corruption in training and maritime schools, requirements, and others, be given greater consideration,” she added.
Senator Grace Poe likewise urged the national government to further “step up efforts” and invest on continuous skills training for the Filipino workers, which she said would “increase their viability.”
OFW Party-list Rep. Marissa “Del Mar” Magsino also reiterated the call to create curricula and modules based on “real experiences of seafarers” to further improve their education.
“Medyo marami ang clamor na naguguluhan ang ating seafarers pagdating sa kanilang mga dapat pag-aralan dahil every administration nagbabago ang head ng MARINA, ng CHED (Commission on Higher Education),” she told CNN Philippines’ Newsroom Weekend on Saturday.
[Translation: There’s a clamor that seafarers are confused when it comes to what should they be studying because every administration, the heads of MARINA and CHED change.]
Magsino also urged the national government to provide tax incentives and liberal loan packages to training institutions for their necessary equipment, training vessels, and maintenance.
“The Philippines appreciates the continued engagement and the offer of technical assistance from the European Commission in helping ensure that the challenges in the implementation of the STCW Convention 1978, as amended, can be overcome,” the Department of Foreign Affairs also said, adding the country viewed the inspections, verifications, and evaluations “constructively.”
