POEA eyes female seafarers

MANILA, Philippines - If there are seamen, why can’t there be seawomen?        

The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) is encouraging women to explore employment opportunities in the maritime industry to fill manpower needs in the male-dominated field.                                 

“Our female workers should try it because the prospect is really bright. There are thousands of vacancies in the maritime industry,” said POEA chief Carlos Cao Jr.             

He said many foreign vessels are in dire need of manpower but they could not immediately fill up the vacancies because of shortage of qualified workers.                                             

 Ericson Marquez, an official of the Filipino Association for Mariners Employment Inc. (FAME) said there are 43,000 job vacancies available for Filipino seafarers in the next three years.                                                                    

Marquez said the global maritime industry has been growing aggressively but has been suffering from manpower shortage, particularly in officer positions.                                                

  In 2005, the global maritime industry needed 20,000 workers. Demand went up to 33,000 in 2008 and is expected to rise to 43,000 by 2013.                                                 

 Marquez said the private maritime industry is coordinating with the government to corner 50 percent of the job vacancies for maritime crew and officers worldwide.            

 He said that despite having a small number in the industry, women seafarers have been proven to be very qualified workers.                                                                                    

    “They are very good. In fact, one woman seafarer is now working as a chief engineer, one of the highest positions in the industry,” he said.