|
The Philippines' strict compliance with the revised Standards of Training,
Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) has been ensured by Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma to keep the Filipino seafarers at par with their counterparts in other countries.
Laguesma, also the concurrent chairman of the Maritime Training Council, said the MTC has been silently working to effect the needed changes and institute appropriate measures to qualify the Filipinos with the amended standards set by the STCW.
The multi-agency MTC is composed of the Department of Labor and Employment, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, Professional Regulation Commission, Philippine Coast Guard, Commission on Higher Education, Maritime Industry Authority and private sector representatives whose function is to train, educate and certify Filipino seafarers required by the convention.
The 1995 amendment to the STCW caused apprehension to most member-countries whose nationals are employed in ocean-going ships because it made uniform the mandatory qualifications a seafarer should possess before he can board a vessel flying the flag of a government or flag state.
Among the amendments are the uniform standards for the attainment of maritime skills for which the convention contains specific criteria detailing the standards of knowledge, understanding and proficiency to be achieved in each element of competence by candidates for certification; new responsibilities for shipping companies to ensure that the seafarers meet the minimum standards of competence, that ships are manned in accordance with flag state requirements and that detailed records are maintained of all seafarers in their employ; measures to ensure that governments actually implement STCW requirements; and that certificates are only issued to seafarers who meet the minimum competency standards.
The Philippines is greatly affected by the amendment because Filipino
|
|
