Marcos to merchant marines: Help maintain global stature

MANILA, Philippines — President Marcos urged the graduates of the Philippine Merchant Marine Academy (PMMA) to assist the country in sustaining its positive reputation in the maritime industry, and called for a maritime education that is “even more responsive” to the nation’s needs.

Speaking during the 200th commencement exercises of the PMMA “Madasiklan” class of 2023 in Zambales, Marcos thanked the private shipping industry for supporting efforts to promote quality maritime education and training that would allow the sector to be more innovative, more resilient and adaptive to the ever-changing world.

“As your partner in improving the skills and capabilities of our people in the maritime industry, I call on all the concerned agencies to coordinate closely with the PMMA. Facilitate what will make our maritime education even more responsive to the needs of the nation while ensuring that whatever steps that we take will be in compliance with laws and regulations,” the Chief Executive said.

Marcos also encouraged the cadets to “continue to do everything with the same amount of passion and resilience” that they have shown when they were in the PMMA, “make a change in our society,” “excel further” and become the leaders they were trained and meant to be.

“As you do so, help the Philippines maintain its name as a global figure in the maritime industry and an asset to the entire world,” he said.

According to the International Labor Organization, the Philippines is a major supplier of seafarers, providing one-fifth of the word’s 1.2 million seafarers.

Last year, the European Union cited “inconsistencies” in the education, training and certification system of Filipino seafarers, endangering the jobs of about 50,000 seafarers. The EU enumerated deficiencies in competencies related to the issuing of officers’ certificates, programs on teaching and examination methods, facilities and equipment; and monitoring of inspections and evaluations of schools. Filipino seafarers working in European ships would lose their European Maritime Safety Agency certification if the deficiencies are not addressed.

In March, the European Commission announced that it would continue recognizing the certificates for seafarers issued by the Philippines because of the country’s “serious efforts” to comply with the requirements in monitoring, supervision and evaluation of training and assessment.

Marcos noted that members of PMMA class of 2023 had to make additional sacrifices because the pandemic-induced lockdowns had prevented them from coming home. He urged the graduates to live up to their class name Magigiting na may Dangal at Simbolo ng Kawal ng Karagatan (roughly: heroic with honor and a symbol of a maritime soldier).

“With the many stages of screening and evaluation, later on your four-year residency, you embraced the skills, training, and values that the PMMA instilled in you as preparation for your future duties as officers and engineers, either in the Navy or in the Coast Guard, or in the Merchant Marine Fleet,” he said.