Are we contributing to the supply or to the shortage? How many graduates do we have?

HARBORSCOPE volume 1 issue no. 6

Six months have passed after the successful Philippine Manning Convention on November last year. Industry leaders have called for a massive campaign to introduce the seafaring career to offspring of Filipino seamen down to high school levels in order to create fresh and young bloods of competent seafarers.

According to Mr. Ericson Marquez, president of Virjen Shipping Group of Companies and Director for Filipino Association for Mariners’ Employment, we have produced some 45,000 Filipino graduates of BSMT and BSMarE over the past five years.

Marquez, however, stressed that only 20% of the total 45,000 (or so) Filipino graduates who completed their academic education the past five years were able to secure shipboard apprenticeship – leaving 32,000 graduates still without any opportunity to practice their chosen profession.

Had the 32,000 graduates were given the equal opportunities, we could have produced fresh officers or OIC the past five years.
Harborscope tried to request for a record from the Commission on Higher Education about their statistics on the graduates on maritime courses for 2007, and if all maritime institutions have already submitted their candidates for graduation for school year 2007-2008.

Unfortunately, all they can provide is data for school year 2004 – 2005. What a pity! No wonder, their statistics do not match those of the POEA, the PRC, and the industry, among other government agencies. Funny how they wear strong personality talking about what to do to address the shortage when they cannot even provide accurate data for information dissemination. How can we solve an equation if we do not have proper data? Oh yes, intelligent guess!

They probably do not realize the importance of statistics because they are not aware of the impact of shortage – or are they are even contributing to the shortage for not minding to gather such valuable figures to help the industry create a concrete action plan to properly and promptly address the global shortage – which should actually run on our favor.

For the benefit of those who are trying to analyze the industry, for school year 2004 – 2005, thanks to CHED statistics, there were 8,272 graduates of Bachelor of Science in Marine Transportation; 1,239 finished associate in marine transportation, and 62 of the 9,511 cadets from 106 maritime schools were women.

On the other hand, a total of 2,173 graduates of Bachelor of Science in Marine Engineering out of 2,464 were recorded. There are some 291 students who finished associate courses in marine engineering and eight (8) of which were female. From this report, in the past four years, we should have produced 11,975 (potential) OICs.

Harborscope then tried to come up with a survey to all institutions offering BS Marine Transportation and Engineering. However, only few have been cooperative. Not a few though, gave true and accurate numbers.

It is the uncooperative nature of some players in the industry that create problems and misleading information resulting to partition among leaders, who should be in unison in promoting and protecting the welfare and future the Philippine seafaring industry.

Who wants to play hero anyway? It has been a pathetic scene where leaders who contribute time, talent, effort, and energy for the betterment of the industry are being disputed and doubt upon. How can we classify those who do nothing but comment, talk but behind someone else’s back, will say yes but actually mean no, or those who oppose or contend what is logically and practically correct and viable for the industry?

The cause and effect of being uncooperative determines the real score in the clamor for cooperation – vested interest, hidden agenda, or probably, inability to comply or catch up with the industry trend.

Quoting Capt. Constantino Arcellana, former marine board examiner in PRC who gave word of caution, “Since the demand is so great, proliferation of ‘Fake Seafarers’ might become a fashion. This is commonly the result of too lenient screening and shaking of trees for candidates, where quality is often compromised.” Isn’t it obvious?