DOTr welcomes continued recognition of EC to seafarers certificates from Philippines
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) welcomed the continued recognition of the European Commission (EC) to the certificate for seafarers issued by the Philippines which would benefit thousands of Filipino mariners.
"We are deeply elated by this decision, confirming we have adequately addressed many of the findings of the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA)," Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said in a statement issued on Saturday.
On December 2022, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr ordered the creation of an advisory council to avert possible job losses of 50,000 Filipino seafarers in Europe due to alleged deficiencies in training and education. He was in Brussels to meet foreign maritime companies.
Late Friday, the European Commission announced that it will continue recognizing certificates issued by the Philippines for its Filipino seafarers, particularly Filipino marine officers onboard European-registered vessels.
In its official website of the European Union on Friday, the commission emphasized that since 2021, "the Philippines has made serious efforts to comply with the requirements, in particular in key areas like the monitoring, supervision and evaluation of training and assessment."
"In December 2021, following a detailed assessment of the training and certification system in place, the Commission had informed the Philippines that recognition of their seafarer certificates would be withdrawn unless serious measures were taken, including the compliance with the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for seafarers (STCW), " the EC said.
Bautista said the "Maritime Industry Authority or MARINA worked relentlessly, together with other stakeholders, to address those findings in the final inspection report of EMSA of March 2021 as well as EC’s assessment report of December 2021."
"As the EC lauded our cooperation and welcomed our efforts at improving the Philippine system of training and certifying Filipino seafarers, we commit to address the remaining areas identified by EC that require further improvement," he said.
European Commissioner for Transport Adina Vălean said: "We appreciate the constructive cooperation with the Philippine authorities and welcome their efforts to improve the system for training and certifying seafarers."
"The Philippines provide a significant and valued part of the European and global shipping industry’s maritime workforce – indeed, with roughly 50 000 Filipino masters and officers currently working on EU-flagged ships," she said.
"The Philippines can count on our technical support to further improve the implementation and oversight of minimum education, training and certification requirements, as well as living and working conditions," she added.
Bautista said he informed Marcos about the decision of the EC.
"The success of the corrective measures pursued reflects the importance and serious attention that President Marcos has been giving to the Filipino shipping industry. Hence, his earlier directives to improve and continue improving the quality of our seafarers," he said.
"We certainly most welcome EC’s offer of technical support to further improve the implementation and oversight of minimum education, training and certification requirements, as well as living and working conditions. We assure the President we are complying with his directive to go beyond the minimum expected by international maritime authorities," he added.
The EU also noted that, "in the coming months, the Commission intends to provide the Philippines with technical assistance to further improve its education, training and certification system for seafarers, as was also discussed between President Ursula von der Leyen and President of the Philippines Ferdinand Marcos, in the margins of the EU-ASEAN summit last December."
Bautista also assured that the Philippine government will not waver in its efforts to raise the level of expertise of Filipino seamen to international standards. DMS
