Frankie, part of our small battalion of housecats, looks rather pensive. Is he thinking about the EU threat to ban Filipino seamen? Not a bit. Like most crewing executives, Frankie hasn’t seen the complete European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) report on the Philippines’ STCW deficiencies. And why should he be bothered? Local maritime bureaucrats and other humans think the EU can ill afford such a drastic move given its potential impact on EU shipping. No, Filipino seamen will continue to work and sweat it out on EU-flag ships and be able to feed their families. Frankie shan’t starve either. He’ll get his regular supply of cat food plus an occasional treat of Kentucky Fried Chicken. ~Barista Uno
It’s the Big Cats in Manila who think the catastrophe won’t happen. We’ve been too busy of late attending to the housecats to think about the fallout from the EMSA findings.
The deficiencies found by EMSA are just normal findings but the time frame to make out the right solution and the solution given by the seafarers’ loving group in the local maritime industry are otherwise and not really the key to solve and rectify the deficiencies. It will further create delays in the deployment of our seafarers. The full implementation of the management level course is the real intent of those persons with vested interests. It’s not really to solve the problems besetting some of our local maritime schools.
1, The Philippines had several (years) to fix the deficiencies after the first EMSA investigation.
2. Anyone complaisant enough to think that the Philippines has no competition really needs to get their heads out of their fundaments.
3. The deficiencies were, by no means normal. When an agency decides unilaterally that the country’s STCW certificates should not comply with SOLAS, that is not normal.
4. If Sri Lanka can pass, then there is no excuse for the Philippines not to do so. Those running the system should be ashamed of themselves. They have damaged an industry of national interest, despite saluting the flag on Monday mornings.
5. Following the rules is not rocket science. It is all EMSA demanded. It is all that is required. It is that simple.
I did my Master of Science in Maritime Law and Policy at the World Maritime University (WMU) in Sweden and I really felt ashamed when some of my classmates asked me why the Philippines interpreted STCW Convention as a labor convention. Someone retorted: You Filipinos are not dictating a new definition of a global regulation which is entirely different from the global practice in the maritime industry. I have assisted the drafting of a position of my office on the STCW Convention. No matter how a paper is well-written and presented, i conceded that at the end of the day, it’s the choice of the government whether or not to fix the problem. But what is certain is that not everyone who professes good understanding of the maritime industry really knows the peculiarities of the various aspects of maritime affairs.
I think it’s about time that the government think seriously about our maritime industry. Put a man who will lead the agency who is knowledgeable and has experience of maritime affairs so that he can speak directly about the agency he represents. He is the one who advises the government concerning the needs, woes and things to be implemented for the smooth sailing of the maritime industry and be globally competitive. Human factor is our best export item, and through proper handling, I believe Filipinos can excel in any field they choose.