Marcos vows to improve Philippines maritime education

MANILA, Philippines — President Marcos has vowed to sustain efforts to enhance the Philippines’ maritime education sector as he expressed optimism that the country would produce new sailors who would bring about positive change in the maritime landscape.

“We assure you that we will continue to improve our country’s maritime education sector to make it more responsive to the evolving needs of our nation and the global maritime industry,” Marcos said in a speech read by Presidential Assistant for Maritime Concerns Andres Centino during the graduation of the Philippine Merchant Marine Academy (PMMA) class of 2024 in Zambales last Tuesday.

The President cited the issuance by the Maritime Industry Authority and the Commission on Higher Education of the revised standards for the marine transportation and marine engineering bachelor degree programs, including the procedures for monitoring and evaluating maritime higher education institutions.

He said the revision of the standards would help guarantee that maritime education would meet the highest global standards in line with the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers.

Marcos also mentioned the issuance of Executive Order 55, which provides for the adoption of the ten-year Maritime Industry Development Plan 2028 that seeks to upskill and reskill the maritime workforce, improve their employability and ensure their continuous growth and development in an ever-evolving sector.

He likewise announced that the PMMA has signed two memoranda of agreement with maritime companies Carnival Cruise Line and the Crossworld Marine Services Inc. to create more opportunities for cadets.

“With all the initiatives the government is pursuing in the maritime sector, I am certain that we will be ushering in a new breed of Filipino sailors who will change our maritime landscape and even the rest of the world for the better,” Marcos said.

The President then congratulated the graduates, saying they now belong to the “elite” few who have endured the rigorous formation of PMMA.

“No matter where your future takes you – whether in the merchant fleets, in the Philippine Navy, in the Coast Guard – I hope you will bring the same grit you had shown when you first decided to set foot in this academy,” he said.

About a quarter of the world’s 1.9 million seafarers are Filipinos. The Philippines is one of the biggest suppliers of officers and skilled seafarers working on merchant ships, along with Russia, Indonesia, China and India, according to the Department of Migrant Workers.