The Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) has started implementing corrective measures on the country’s maritime education, training, and certification system which was earlier noted as being deficient by the the European Maritime Safety Agency’s (EMSA).
EMSA is a European Union agency based in Lisbon, Portugal. It is charged with reducing the risk of maritime accidents, marine pollution from ships and the loss of human lives at sea by helping to enforce the pertinent EU legislation.
Marina is set to present proof of on the country’s compliance with international standards for maritime higher education to the EMSA audit next month.
“The pieces of evidence that we will present to the European Commission (EC) are testament of Marina’s proactive approach on the issues confronting the Philippine maritime industry,” Marina Administrator Rey Leonardo Guerrero said.
The EMSA earlier expressed concern about the country’s compliance with the International Convention on the Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping for Seafarers.
On March last year, EMSA said that there are still 59 aspects that the Philippines has yet to comply with to pass the EMSA audit.
If the country fails to pass the audit, European shipping companies won’t recognize the certification of Filipino seamen and would cause the loss of jobs of thousands of Filipino seamen.
Marina said it complied with EMSA’s audit findings on Philippines’ maritime education, training, and certification systems and addressed the areas for improvement emphasized by the EC in terms of national provision, maritime administration, requirements for certification, as well as maritime education and training institution in the country. /muf