MARINA must implement reforms ASAP – TUCP

MANILA, Philippines — Despite the decision of the European Commission (EC) to continue recognizing the safety certifications issued to Filipino seafarers, the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) should work “triple time” in implementing reforms in maritime training to ensure continued employment for Filipino sailors, according to a party-list group representing workers.

“Still, even with the extension given to us, the government can no longer relax or further dribble, doing corrective actions which have been set aside by laxity or turf wars in key government agencies and a commercialized nautical education system keen to exploit student seafarers and their parents,” Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) party-list Rep. Raymond Mendoza said in a statement.

“Much needs to be done to sustain our meaningful progress, hence our work continues toward ultimately ensuring that Filipino seafarers remain the preferred hire in the global maritime industry,” Mendoza added.

Maritime authorities, he said, must immediately address the serious deficiencies in six key areas identified by the EC to ensure the country’s “progressive compliance” with the highest standards of seafaring.

Last year, Mendoza filed House Resolution No. 628 calling on relevant government agencies, including MARINA, to immediately convene all stakeholders in the Philippine seafaring industry to address the issues raised by the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) audit.

In maintaining its recognition of safety certificates issued by MARINA, the EC cited the “concrete progress and improvement” in Philippine compliance with the requirements of international seafaring standards.

Mendoza said the Philippines is duty-bound to comply with the International Maritime Organization’s International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) which encapsulates the minimum requirements on education, training and certification of seafarers.

The TUCP said the government should make sure Philippine-issued certificates of competency for seafarers remain unquestioned and Filipino seafarers remain highly preferred in the global maritime industry.

Francesco Gargiulo, chief executive officer of International Maritime Employers Council Ltd., said the EC’s decision removed the “sword of Damocles” hanging over the heads of Filipino seafarers working in EU-flagged vessels.

But Gargiulo said the Philippine government must address the issues raised by EMSA, particularly on the education of Filipino seafarers and the prevalence of ambulance chasing among lawyers.

“With combined action taken by the government on education and certification, (we) see the Philippines coming back to this sort of percentage of the world fleet they used to enjoy,” he said.

International Chamber of Shipping senior manager Helio Vicente also cited ambulance chasing as one major reason for the decline in the number of Filipino seafarers getting employed by international shipping lines. Filipinos account for 14.4 percent of the two million seafarers working on international ships.

Migrant Workers Secretary Susan Ople said the deployment of Filipino seafarers is now getting close to the pre-pandemic level.

“With this renewed confidence among foreign shipowners arising from the continuing certification of seafarers plus the things we have to set out to do, we see a resurgence in the demand for Filipino seafarers,” Ople said at a press briefing yesterday.

She said employment prospects of Filipino seafarers in the international market are “very bright” and that the government just needs to focus on making them more competitive. – Elizabeth Marcelo