The European Commission (EC), after all, will continue recognizing certificates issued by the Philippines for its seafarers, particularly marine officers onboard European Union-registered vessels, according to the Department of Transportation.
“We are deeply elated by this decision, confirming we have adequately addressed many of the findings of the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA),” Transportation Secretary Jaime J. Bautista said.
“I have personally reported to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. that more than 49,000 Filipino marine officers and their families here in the Philippines stand to gain from this decision,” he said.
The European Union on Friday confirmed the Philippines “has made serious efforts to comply with the requirements, in key areas like the monitoring, supervision and evaluation of training and assessment.”
“Our Maritime Industry Authority or MARINA worked relentlessly, together with other stakeholders, to address those findings in the final inspection report of EMSA of March 2021 as well as EC’s assessment report of December 2021,” Bautista said.
“As the EC lauded our cooperation and welcomed our efforts at improving the Philippine system of training and certifying Filipino seafarers, we commit to address the remaining areas identified by EC that require further improvement,” he added.
Bautista also said the Philippines welcomed the European Commission’s offer of technical support to further improve the implementation and oversight of minimum education of Filipino seafarers, their training and certification requirements, as well as living and working conditions.
“We assure the President that we are complying with his directive to go beyond the minimum expected by international maritime authorities,” he said.
“This milestone development in the Philippine maritime industry augurs well for the future of Filipino seafarers who comprise the world’s largest maritime labor,” Bautista said.
