PH seafarers need lifeline or sink amid global rivals

PH seafarers need lifeline or sink amid global rivals
Mikkah F. Factor - July 13, 2019 https://globalnation.inquirer.net/177879/ph-seafarers-need-lifeline-or-s...

The Philippines remains among the world’s top sources of seafarers, but its maritime industry is at an alarming ebb.

It now has many competitors—China, Russia and Vietnam among them—in producing seamen, said Nelson Ramirez, president of the United Filipino Seafarers (UFS). “Vietnam has three quality maritime universities, [with] 100,000 seamen already. Who will they replace? Filipinos,” he said:

“Chinese seafarers were the first to replace [Filipinos]. Their government really spends for them. Here in the Philippines, our government cannot do that and lets private institutions take over,” he added.

Data from the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) show the steady decline in the number of Filipino seamen: 442,820 in 2016, 378,072 in 2017, and 330,859 by the end of 2018.

As many as 20,000-35,000 Filipinos complete a three-year maritime course in a year, but only around 5,000 manage to find jobs onboard ships, according to the Commission on Higher Education.

In fact, the Philippine maritime industry is “dying,” Ramirez said.

“This is why there are many training courses required for our seafarers: Our maritime education is wrong,” he said. “Some of the subjects in our current maritime curriculum are [misplaced]. Why not remove them and replace them with the courses that aspiring seafarers are required to take in maritime training centers after they graduate?”