Transforming the vision, shifting direction

Transforming the vision, shifting direction
Atty. Brenda V. Pimentel April 6, 2022 https://www.manilatimes.net/2022/04/06/business/maritime/transforming-th...

THE maritime vision for the maritime industry in the 1970s up to the 1980s was shaped by the pathetic state of maritime transport in the country, which even during that time took pride in being an archipelago. With no reliable transport to connect the islands, agricultural produce could hardly reach the market, and therefore were left to rot to be consumed by vermin at the farm.

Add to this dismal situation that of the poor safety record of domestic maritime transport and the deplorable passage service that Filipino passengers endured for decades for lack of a better option.

For decades, the vision of improving domestic maritime transport was top on the agenda of maritime agencies, primarily the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG). In fact, only of 11 directorial units of Marina focused on international shipping; the rest were all involved in the improvement of domestic shipping.

Without passing judgment on the success of that direction for the maritime industry, there are discernible improvements, even surpassing expectations even as shipowners and operators continue to lament the challenges in governance such as unclear policies and conflicting regulations. Islands of the archipelago are now linked through nautical highways; passengers and shippers now enjoy faster and more convenient maritime transport.

At the turn of the millennium, there was a noticeable prominence given to the deployment of Filipino seafarers to international ships. Compliance with the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW), as amended, has become the top maritime agenda for this archipelago.

It is conceded that Filipino seafarers have contributed to improving the balance of payments of this archipelago, and provided better opportunities for their families with access to the basic needs for food, education, shelter and health facilities, among others, within their reach.

In the countryside, seafarers are acknowledged as agents of change — they have transformed the nipa and bamboo huts into concrete bungalows and contributed to the local economy with their improved purchasing power.

Seafarers inspired the young to pursue maritime education which, in turn, brought about the establishment of maritime schools in the provinces and regions outside Metro Manila, which allow aspiring students access to education.

There are many reasons for giving priority to the seafaring industry, but there are also a hundred reasons to give equal attention to the other maritime sectors such as domestic shipping and the development and promotion of the Philippine merchant fleet, both of which require the services of Filipino seafarers. Just as foreign-flagged ships trading international voyages are concerned with having STCW-certified seafarers, so do Philippine-flagged ships need them.

It is lamentable how the government and stakeholders speak of the requirements of foreign shipowners, and hardly give notice to the fact that the safety of the domestic fleet hinges as well on the same qualifications which foreign shipowners demand of their crew.

That the STCW convention does not apply to ships engaged in coastwise trade is one reason why it is not implemented in domestic shipping has become a general excuse. Such an argument amounts to accepting that the life of a foreign national on foreign-flagged ships is more valuable than that of a Filipino passenger on domestic ships or that cargoes carried on foreign-flagged ships deserve better care than those of domestic cargoes.

The implementation of the STCW Convention in domestic shipping is not proposed; rather it is a reminder that ferry safety which is within the remit of Marina is not limited to concerns of the hardware, it must give utmost attention to operations, steered by seafarers. "Fit for purpose ships" is an oft-cited best practice in domestic ferry safety; how about highly qualified seafarers to operate such ships?

An initiative to review the national standards of training, education and certification for seafarers deployed in domestic ships should be in order.

If there are 400 Filipino seafarers qualified to go onboard international ships and only half of them are at any time engaged thereon, what program could be introduced to encourage those who are in the meantime onshore or those who have retired (with due regard to age requirement) to serve in domestic ships? Mobilizing the returning/retired seafarers to join the pool of experts who will train the crew of the domestic fleet could be one such program.

Party-lists that are into promoting seafarers' employment opportunities, welfare and rights should expand their congressional agenda to include seafarers onboard domestic ships.