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PH, EU launch program to raise Filipino seafarers' training standards
PH, EU launch program to raise Filipino seafarers' training standards
The Philippines and the European Union (EU) have taken ways to raise Filipino seafarers' training to international standards through a technical assistance program.
The Seafarers Technical Assistance project, which has been running since September 2024 until November 2027, will support the training, certification, and well-being of Filipino seafarers, so they can continue working abroad and under good labor conditions, the EU said.
EU Ambassador to Manila, Massimo Santoro, said the regional bloc partnered with the Philippines to improve and sustain the quality of the country’s system of maritime education, training and certification, and of recruitment and placement of seafarers "for the benefit of its people, economy and global trade."
Shipping sector is a key pillar of the Philippine economy so it substantially contributes to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
According to EU, the industry directly accounted for four percent of the Philippine GDP in 2023, with seafarers’ remittances adding another 1.7 percent.
With approximately 1.15 million seafarers, the Philippines is a leading supplier of maritime talent, providing approximately 25 percent of the global seafaring workforce.
"Seafarers need to have properly recognized certifications to be able to work worldwide," it said.
The project, EU added, will also carry out activities benefiting Indonesia and ASEAN as it forms part of the EU-ASEAN Sustainable Connectivity Package (SCOPE).
With a total budget of 60 million euros, SCOPE addresses several shared connectivity priorities to strengthen economic and cultural ties between the EU and ASEAN.
The EU-ASEAN SCOPE is part of the larger Global Gateway initiative, the European strategy engaging with partners globally and promoting investments around shared priorities such as transition to a green economy, renewable energy and green hydrogen, education and research, and digital infrastructure, among others.
The Department of Transportation (DOTr), the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), the Maritime Higher Education Institutions, and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) also collaborated on the project.
MARINA is in charge of overseeing and implementing the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) and the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC).
“I’m happy to assist at the official launch of this technical assistance project, as announced by President Ursula von der Leyen in her discussions with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr," Fotini Loannidou, Director for Waterborne Transport at the European Union’s headquarters, said.