Philippines: Gov't urged to designate sole agency to implement STCW Convention

Participants to the International Maritime Organization (IMO)-sponsored five-day 2011 National Seminar and Workshop to the Standard Training Certification and Watchkeeping (STWC)

Convention and Code, have urged the Philippine government to designate only a single agency to fully implement the STCW Convention and Code (as amended in 2010) on or before January 1, 2012.
During the seminar-workshop held at the Maritime Academy of Asia and the Pacific (MAAP) at Kamaya Point, Barangay Alas-asin here, participants, who belong to the private sector and are respected stakeholders in the country’s maritime circle and shipping industry, passed and approved a resolution institutionalizing the agency as the lone authority in the administration of said STCW and Code.
Under the resolution, the participants pointed out that “the Republic of the Philippines is a Party to the Convention and has committed fully to comply with the requirements of the 2010 Manila Amendments,” stressing that under the said Convention, the requirement is there must only be ‘one’ Administration for ‘all regulations of the STCW as amended.”
The participants, led by master mariner Capt. Victor S. Del Prado, Chief Marine Engineers Alfredo M. Firme, Nelson P. Ramirez and Alfredo G. Haboc; maritime educators Navy Capt. Deo Tunacao(AFP, ret.) Engr. Artemio Serafico, Ronald Enrile, Dr. Angelica Baylon and Merle Jimenez-San Pedro, filed the resolution last July 22, 2011 at the end of the seminar-worshop. They called the attention of IMO stating that, “under the current regime, the implementation of STCW Convention in the Philippines is ‘fragmented’ into various government agencies, and therefore, “do not conform with the STCW Convention.”
Before Associated Marine Officers’ and Seamen’s Union of the Philippines (AMOSUP) executive vice president Vice Admiral Eduardo Ma. R. Santos (AFP, ret.), who is also MAAP president; Executive Director Liberty Casco of the Maritime Training Council, IMO resource speakers Capt. Ashok Mahapatra, Capt. Deboo and Engr. Hemachandra; and representatives from the Professional Regulation Commission, Philippine Coast Guard and Maritime Industry Authority, and other prominent maritime industry stakeholders, they clearly said that the standing of the Philippines as a leading seafarer-supplying country in the world, as well as the employment of Filipino seafarers on board international registered vessels may be “jeopardized,” if the STCW requirements cannot be complied with.
Source: Manila Bulletin