Philippines reviews maritime standards

MANILA, Philippines—The government is currently reviewing its training and safety standards for Filipino maritime workers to comply with strict guidelines set by the European Union, which now threatens to ban Filipino seamen from European ships if improvements are not made.

In a letter late month to the Filipino Association for Mariners Employment Inc. (FAME), a copy of which was obtained by the Inquirer, the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) said reforms being implemented included a review of maritime education courses offered by Philippine schools.

“We have already submitted the Philippine report containing corrective actions and deficiencies noted by the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA),” DoLE’s Maritime Training Council (MTC) said in a letter to FAME.

MTC executive director Liberty Casco said the agency was also reviewing its own mandate and structure with the view of establishing a single national agency for the issuance and accreditation of Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) certificates.

The credibility of STCWs issued by Philippine schools, a requirement for seafarers before they are allowed to work on international vessels, was raised by the EU body last May.

The Philippines is currently one of the biggest suppliers of seafarers in the world. According to FAME, there are around 300,000 Filipino seafarers working abroad, with Europe considered as a “major market.”