Marina hit over stiff fines on seafarers

MANILA, Philippines — The United Filipino Seafarers (UFS) has lambasted the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) for its move to increase the fines imposed on seafarers and maritime training centers found using spurious certificates of proficiency.

UFS president Nelson Ramirez said a draft memorandum by MARINA showed that the fines would be increased to P50,000 up to P1 million.

The group said the move to impose excessive fines showed the mindset of regulators on making seafarers their “milking cows.”

“Seafarers should not be seen as milking cows by the government. They provide millions, billions of dollars in remittances that boost the country’s economy. The government should protect them from leeches in maritime training and assessment centers,” Ramirez said.

The group also slammed MARINA’S s alleged failure to sanction 10 maritime higher education institutions or MHEIs found deficient by the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA).

Ramirez said MARINA administrator Hernani Fabia reportedly committed conflict of interest in the case of one of 10 erring MHEIs based on the EMSA audit on the Philippine Nautical and Technological College (PNTC).

Ramirez said that while Fabia has supposedly divested his ownership shares in the PNTC, the latter still maintains control of the maritime institution.

“He owns the PNTC, but he claimed to have divested his shares. Another company, KFJ Ventures Inc., which Fabia owns is now the PNTC’s largest shareholder,” Ramirez said.

According to Ramirez, the PNTC was founded by Fabia on April 18, 1994. It was originally named the Philippine Nautical Training Institute.