Filipino seafarers are said to be part of the crew of practically every commercial vessel around the world. The competitiveness of Filipino seafarers, however, has long been threatened by the quality of the training, education and certification available in their own country.
Over the past 16 years, several of the states that are among the top employers of Filipino seafarers have expressed concern about Philippine maritime schools’ compliance with the international convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers or STCW.
The convention has been in force since 1978, and the Philippines has been one of the biggest sources of seafarers since then. Yet regulation of maritime schools has failed to keep up with global standards. Last Friday, the Department of Foreign Affairs issued a statement urging the Maritime Industry Authority to address deficiencies identified by the European Union in compliance with the STCW.
Those deficiencies have been pointed out by the EU as far back as 2006, according to the DFA. The European Maritime Safety Agency has been conducting several audits and assessments of Philippine compliance with the STCW, with a final audit conducted about two years ago. EMSA has given MARINA until March 10 this year to address the deficiencies.
If the 27-member EU, which is home to some of the world’s largest shipping companies and shipbuilders, decides to terminate its recognition of the Philippines’ seafarer education and certification program, it would jeopardize thousands of Filipino jobs along with prospects for future employment of the products of the country’s maritime schools.
Even without the EMSA threat, the Philippines, as a major source of seafarers, must ensure that global demand for its workforce is based on the high quality of training and service. This is the only way to remain competitive and ensure that there will always be a spot for Filipinos in the global job market. With even the DFA sounding the alarm, the MARINA must do more to ensure compliance with international standards.