Opposition Senator Risa Hontiveros has formally asked the Senate to immediately look into improving seafarer’s training after the European Union (EU) threatened to ban an estimated 50,000 Filipino seafarers for failure to comply with international standards for training.
In her Senate Resolution 279, Hontiveros said that if the EU decides to no longer recognize the Certificates of Competencies (COCs) held by Filipino seafarers, and prohibits them from being deployed on EU-flagged vessels because of the non-compliance, it “risks not only substantial economic disruption, but also substantial damage to the reputation of the Philippine maritime industry.”
“Nakataya ang reputasyon at trabaho, pati na rin ang kapakanan ng mga pamilya ng 400,000 Pilipinong marino sa buong mundo sa isyung ito. (Reputation and jobs are at stake here, including the welfare of the 400,000 families of Pilipino seafarers the world over). Matinding gulo sa eknomiya natin ang haharapin natin if ship owners and operators look elsewhere for seafarers to crew their vessels (The Philippine economy will be shaken if owners and operators look elsewhere for seafarers to crew their vessels). It will be very hard for our country to recover,” she said.
According to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), Filipino seafarers are a major contributor to the Philippine economy, having remitted USD6.54 Billion in 2021.
The senator pointed out that the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) has been flagging the country’s maritime training since 2006.
The EMSA 2020 assessment also reported that the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) did not ensure that all training and assessment met the standards mandated by the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, or the STCW Convention.
"16 na taon na pala tayong binibigyan ng warning (We have been given warnings the past 16 years) . It’s high time we summon MARINA and CHED to the Senate, para maaksyunan na itong mga reporma (to take action on these reform measures). They need to show Congress that they are taking definite steps to resolve this issue. One of the shortcomings listed was that kahit program design ng maritime courses hindi pa na-finalize ng CHED (One of the shortcomings listed was that CHED had not finalized program design for maritime courses) This is one of our most important industries, dapat may (there should be a) sense of urgency. We need to honor our commitments under the STCW Convention. This will also help us maintain our status in the IMO whitelist," she said.
Hontiveros said that the issue also shows "an urgent need to pass the Magna Carta for Seafarers, particularly the provisions on government support for their educational advancement and training at reasonable and affordable costs."
"On a recent work trip, may mga nakasama akong mga marino na papuntang Aberdeen at galing sa Montenegro na sang-ayon sa pagpasa ng Magna Carta of Seafarers bill (On a recent work trip, I was in the company of seafarers scheduled to go to Aberdeen after having come from Montenegros and there favor the passage of the Magna Carta of Seafarers bill). Iniinda nila ang ibinabayad nilang buwis sa ibang bansa dahil pakiramdam nila hindi nila napapakinabangan ang kinakaltas sa kanila (They are hurt by the taxes they pay in other countries because they feel they are not receiving what is due them). On top of this, sobra sobra ang fees para sa skills development na kailangan nila to remain competitive and protected (On top of this, they pay fees so much for skills development for them to remain competitive and protected) . May nakasama din akong babaeng seafarer, at sang-ayon siya sa gender-responsive provisions ng Marino bill (I was also with lady seafarer who agrees with the gender-responsive provisions of the Marino bill). Madaming isyu talaga ukol sa welfare protection nila, kaya dapat ng gawing prioridad ang pagpasa ng batas na ito (There is an urgent need to give priority to this bill because there are many issues relating to. their welfare protection),” she said.
“Long term reforms will ensure better job security and employability of our seafarers. With all the sacrifices marinos make doing this dangerous job far away from their families, we also owe them up-to-date training that can save their lives and those of their passengers,” she added.