MARINA will take lead in inspection of maritime schools — Palace; CHEd to supervise, inspect schools for seafarers

MARINA will take lead in inspection of maritime schools — Palace
Genalyn Kabiling July 13, 2018 https://news.mb.com.ph/2018/07/13/marina-will-take-lead-in-inspection-of...

Malacañang has clarified that the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) will take the lead in the inspection of maritime schools in the country to ensure compliance with international regulations.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque highlighted the role of MARINA amid government efforts to comply with requirements imposed by the European Union.

“MARINA will take supervision of the maritime schools. At present, they are supervised by CHED,” he said.

Roque earlier announced that CHED would take supervision and inspection of maritime schools, citing an imminent agreement with MARINA on the matter. The planned agreement on enhancing the training of Filipino seafarers was tackled in President Duterte’s recent meeting with the Cabinet in Malacañang.

“It was announced yesterday (Wednesday) that there will be an agreement, brokered by DOTr (Department of Transportation), between the CHED and MARINA where the CHED will now undertake supervision and inspection of all maritime schools to ensure compliance with the EU standards,” Roque said during a Palace press briefing last Thursday.

“Dahil sa importansya ng bagay na ito, dahil tayo pa rin ang pinakamaraming mga Pilipino na nagtatrabaho bilang seamen, ang Presidente mismo ang nagsu-supervise ng compliance ng ating mga maritime schools [Because of the importance of the matter, because Filipinos comprise the largest number of seafarers, the President is supervising the compliance of our maritime schools],” he added.

Roque said the government hopes to meet the deadline on the submission of compliance program to the EU.

The European Maritime Safety Agency, a regulatory arm of EU on maritime safety, conducts regular audits to ensure seafarers working on board EU-flagged ships are competent.

CHEd to supervise, inspect schools for seafarers
Arjay L. Balinbin July 13, 2018 http://bworldonline.com/ched-to-supervise-inspect-schools-for-seafarers/

MALACAÑANG said on Thursday that the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) will inspect all maritime schools in the Philippines to ensure their compliance with the standards of the European Union (EU).

“It was announced yesterday [during a meeting at the Palace] that there will be an agreement brokered by the DoTr (Department of Transportation) between the CHEd and the MARINA (Maritime Industry Authority), where the CHEd will now undertake supervision and inspection of all maritime schools to ensure compliance with the EU standards,” Presidential Spokesperson Herminio L. Roque, Jr. said in a briefing at the Palace.

He added: “Because of the importance of this matter, and because of the fact that Filipinos comprise the biggest number of seafarers, the President decided to supervise the compliance of our maritime schools.”

Mr. Roque said the government hopes to meet the submission deadline for the compliance program to the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA).

“We target to meet the deadline. We will have to submit the plan on how we are going to comply with the requirements of the European Union,” he added.

MARINA Administrator Rey Leonardo B. Guerrero said last month that EMSA, a regulatory arm of the European Commission that ensures that countries involved in seafaring comply with the policies of the European Union on maritime safety, has raised concerns about the Philippine maritime schools’ compliance with the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW).

Mr. Guerrero said the Philippines is “on track” to meet the deadline.