SENATORS and members of the House of Representatives were urged to reconsider education and training provisions in the consolidated bill on the Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers.

This was after the Philippine Association of Maritime Institutions opposed the said provisions on the bill which is now awaiting the signature of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

PAMI is composed of 73 maritime schools.

They warned that the provisions under Chapter 18 on Shipboard Training of Cadets will lead to higher tuition, closure of manning agencies, and reduction of crew members.

The group insisted that the Magna Carta for Filipino Seafarers should not cover students but only professional seafarers as they lamented the demanding requirements for schools such as training ships.

From P25,000 per term, the tuition may increase to P200,000.

Meanwhile, the Association of Technical Schools in Manila stressed the other possible effect of these provisions is the closure of manning agencies.

“Ang pangalawa na option is to close the program. Kung mag-close ang program, magkakaroon tayo ng domino effect,” he said.