Even Maritime Administrator Maximo Mejia Jr will admit that the European Commission (EC) has strong grounds for derecognising Philippine seafarer certificates. Contrary to what fools believed, the final audit conducted in 2013 by the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) did not turn out well. The country’s system of maritime education and STCW administration is still in a shambles.
The only thing that could restrain the EC and the EU member states whose views it has to hear is the devastation in the central Philippines caused by last year’s Typhoon Haiyan. A decision based on pity? That would be good for the EU’s humanitarian image but bad for its credibility. So what can EU shipowners do in the meantime?
At the commencement of an EU ban, Filipino ship officers with valid endorsement certificates can still continue working on board EU-flag vessels. Those who obtain an endorsement of recognition the day before the ban can go on working for the next five years. Neither ratings nor hotel personnel of passenger vessels should be a problem. They won’t be covered by the ban.
EU shipowners would do well to get their Filipino officers to renew, or apply for, their endorsement of recognition from the pertinent EU maritime administrations over the next couple of weeks. They should also make sure that Philippine certificates held by these officers are valid for five years. Unless absolutely necessary, why bother to hire replacement officers from India, Poland or the Ukraine when an EU ban would only be temporary (2-3 years at most)?
As for the Philippine officials concerned (Maritime Industry Authority and Commission on Higher Education), they can stop talking and attend to fixing the problems that caused the EMSA inspectors to go home to Europe in dismay. Better still, they can hand in their letters of irrevocable resignation to President Benigno Aquino III before any EU ban is declared. This whole affair is bringing shame to the country. ~Barista Uno
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That is the real solution to the problems. Those government officials who assumed that they are better than the real seafarers because they had studied in the World Maritime University (WMU) must submit their immediate, irrevocable resignation to President Aquino. Let the real master mariners and chief engineers fix these problems smoothly in accordance with the recommendations of EMSA without personal vested interests.
I’m sorry to inform you sir but I don’t think that things will get any better if seafarers will handle things in the administrative level.
The people dealing with EMSA inspections in this country are composed of maritime and non-maritime people and hearing their discussion to this kind of situation is a headache. Too much complaining in the maritime side but too little idea on the other. So I don’t think we’re getting anywhere soon.
It’s a big factor to have experienced guys to run the show, the question is where can their experience take them? The Philippine government has a lot of things to improve to be able to address this issue for good. You hear and see a lot in the news about funds being spent or used personally. Some major agencies do not even have a fully functional/updated website and that even makes them look more stupid.
I mean, we have been knocking at their doors for God knows how long. Do we need to have our officers hand their jobs to other countries first before these people wake up and hopefully act? Philippines has been there on top in terms of seafarers supply, unfortunately our government does not have the will to use this stand to level up things. So so pity….