No, the Filipino seafarer factory isn’t off the hook yet. What it obtained from the European Union was a reprieve, a temporary relief from the danger that could lie ahead. But many folks in Manila and some shipowners’ groups abroad are talking as if all is well and that people don’t have to fear an EU ban on Filipino ship officers. This is a distortion of reality. It’s also a disservice to the seafarers, who need to know where they stand.
True, the EU Directorate General for Mobility and Transport (DG MOVE) in its 23rd April 2014 report to EU member states took note of the progress made by the Philippine authorities in fixing up the seafarer factory. But certain issues remain. Apparently to counter the gossip and inaccurate news reports going around, the EU delegation in Manila issued a statement which read in part:
“The EU has requested the Philippine authorities to provide by end of July 2014 the necessary evidence to demonstrate that all outstanding deficiencies have been resolved and that they have fully implemented the requirements of the STCW Convention. Failure to resolve any remaining issue may result in the loss of EU recognition. A further EMSA (European Maritime Safety Agency) inspection is envisaged for October 2014 to verify on the spot the implementation of the measures taken.”
A well-placed EU source, who spoke to us separately, described the EU action as neither a thumbs up nor a thumbs down. “There are new developments,” he said, “and it would not be fair to give a thumbs down now.” The final outcome will depend on what happens between now and October, “when we will have to verify what has been done.”
It would be interesting to find out if the Filipinos will do everything to completely reform the seafarer factory and whether the EU will lower the boom if they don’t. Everyone has been doing the fandango on the issue for too long. It’s becoming a bit tiresome. ~Barista Uno
Feel free to comment on or share this article. You may also like:
EU ban on Filipino crews: pros & cons
Why Filipinos resent EMSA checks
MARINA PEOPLE DOES NOT KNOW, THE MESSAGE OF EMSA; “FAILURE TO RESOLVE THE DEFICIENCIES” WE STILL CAN BE BANNED BY EUROPEAN COUNTRIES SLOWLY/GRADUALLY. MARINA IS STILL NOT SHOWING THAT THEY ARE RESOLVING THE PROBLEMS, LIKE DOCUMENTATIONS, SEAMEN IDENTIFICATION RECORD BOOK, REPLACED BY A 1 YEAR SEAMAN RECORD SHEET IS NOT ACCEPTED BY MANY COUNTRIES. ISSUING OF CERTIFICATE OF PROFICIENCIES TAKES 3 TO 6 MONTHS.
For all to know, those people working now at MARINA are the newly hired from their godforsaken padrinos in the government and the politicians……additional plantilla, more unqualified MARINA evaluators without any knowledge of seabased documentation. That’s the prime reason we only have a piece of bondpaper seaman’s book…. darn bastards, leeches.