Inter-agency meeting seeks to cement improvements in PH maritime industry
AN inter-agency coordination meeting solicited next-step action measures on how to cement the improvements in the country’s maritime industry on the heels of the European Commission’s (EC) recent decision to continue to recognize the training certificates of Filipino marine officers.
Officials and representatives from the Department of Transportation (DOTr), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) and Commission on Higher Education (CHED) shared their inputs at the coordination meeting called by Transport Secretary Jaime J. Bautista.
Discussions focused on the MARINA’s response to narrow the gaps and issues concerning the European Maritime Safety Agency’s (EMSA) findings in relation to Philippine compliance with the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) for seafarers.
Sec. Bautista requested CHED to help evaluate and monitor the curriculum of maritime schools, while tasking MARINA and CHED to propose areas of technical assistance that the EC may be interested to support.
The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, under the DMW, was requested to look into any possible assistance that can be extended for Filipino seafarers to be able to pursue further training for career advancement.
The Secretary also enjoined closer coordination between DOTr and DMW to better monitor deployment of Filipino seafarers.
The National Maritime Polytechnic, which is under DMW, is being considered to be placed tentatively under DOTr, which will be included in a draft Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to include the responsibilities and tasking of participating agencies.
The EC identified six remaining areas for improvement namely: monitoring, supervision and evaluation of training and assessment; examination and assessment of competence; program and course design and approval; availability and use of training facilities and simulations; on-board training; and issue, revalidation and registration of certificates and endorsements.
On March 31, 2023, the Commission decided to continue recognizing Philippine training certificates for marine officers after satisfactorily manifesting compliance with the provisions of the STCW Convention.
