An Open Letter to the Maritime Training Council

(Signed on September 22, 2010 during the PAMTCI Symposium on STCW 2010 ?Manila Amendments)

We, the participants to this Symposium on the 2010 STCW (Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping) Manila Amendments sponsored by the Philippine Association of Maritime Training Centers, Inc. (PAMTCI), express our concern on the preparations of the Philippines for the formulation of policies, rules and regulations of the different government agencies through the Maritime Training Council (MTC) in response to the 2010 STCW Manila Amendments.

Knowing that these amendments will enter into force on January 1, 2012 or barely 15 months from now and its full enforcement is still on January 1, 2017, or some 6 years and a half from now, we feel a strong sense of “Dé Javu” recalling the entry into force of the 1995 Amendments in February 2002 when the industry was caught unprepared and the awareness level was very much wanting for a unified interpretation of the amendments to the STCW then.

Considering the urgency of taking action on the 2010 STCW Manila Amendments, we strongly recommend that the MTC through its various agencies who have specific concerns in the education, training and certification of our seafarers namely Commission on Higher Education, Professional Regulation Commission, Technical Education, Skills and Development Administration, Maritime Industry Authority, Department of Health, Office for Transportation Security and the NTC should already begin the formulation of clear, unified and comprehensive policies, rules and regulations for the implementation of the 2020 Manila Amendments.

We urge the government through the MTC to ensure the harmonization of all the issuances of agencies and prevent compartmentalized and conflicting issuances that result to confusion not only among the stakeholders but also issues a negative image of the Philippine MET and certification system in the international shipping community.

Further, we believe that issues on matters of overlapping mandate and jurisdiction of agencies be resolved by finally seeking legal opinion from the Department of Justice for all parties satisfaction and acceptance. The same is requested in the crafting of any legislation that will help strengthen the structural institutional framework under the principle of strong administration to effect the STCW Manila Amendments.

We believe that the TIME TO DO IT IS NOW!

As stakeholders of the maritime industry, we offer our individual and collective resources to help in whatever way we can in the formulation of these issuances on the rules, regulations and standards on the relevant amendments in the STCW.

We believe that the way to go through the 2010 Manila Amendments is to involve the private sector in meaningful consultation to ensure wider participation and support for the smooth implementation of the 2010 STCW Manila Amendments.

We express our heartfelt gratitude and appreciation for the continuing support of MTC and its member agencies to our common goal of maintaining our dominance in providing not only the manning (likewise the quality) requirements of the world’s maritime fleet.