Why is the EMSA (European Maritime Safety Agency) report on the Philippines being treated like some State secret? The EMSA is right not to disclose its full contents. No physician, after all, goes around telling everyone what ails his patient (the report is really a diagnosis of what’s wrong with the Philippines’ maritime education, training and certification system). But the Philippine authorities are wrong not to make the document public. Doing so has deprived the MET and manning community of the chance to help cure the sickness and is utterly unfair to Filipino seafarers. So, in the interest of Truth if nothing else, we have decided to share the document with our readers.
The complete report (55 pages, including the title page and annexes) is now available in our Downloads section. It has been split into three parts, so those interested need to download three separate files. Marine Café Blog was the first to bring whole matter to the fore, including the EU threat to withdraw recognition of Filipino seafarer certificates, By sharing the document, we hope that some light will be shed on the problems plaguing the Philippines’ MET and maritime administration system. It amazes us how some manning agents, the maritime press and the unions have been blabbering about the EMSA findings without having read the full report.
Time to get out of the cave and see things under the glare of the sun. ~Barista Uno
Well done. Much of the commentary I’ve seen appears unaware that the EMSA audit was of the system. Deficiencies of individual training and education facilities are a reflection of the failure of the training and education system. It is clear, however, that the facilities were doing what they could get away with because of poor supervision.
Bob’s commentary is right on the nail’s head! It is an enormous regulatory failure on the part of CHED. I have a question however. Every year these schools are audited by an outside certifying body but the deficiencies appear the same the following year. Is Quality Assurance a “paper chase” in the country? What can the certifying bodies say about these schools that fail to comply with the quality system contrary to the QA certificates issued?
Why is it that, according to CHED, the basis of their order to close the maritime program of PMI was the EMSA report (but), as per EMSA report, CHED has six deficiencies while PMI has only four deficiencies and all are rectifiable?
Thanks for reading and commenting on the article.
I can understand how you feel. As we pointed out in a previous blog post, not a single CHED official has been reprimanded or fired much less despite the fact that the EMSA Report clearly pointed to the failure of CHED and other state agencies to properly supervise the maritime schools.
This is ironic but why be surprised? This is a land of ironies.