KABAYAN Party-list Rep. Ron Salo is not in favor of the proposal of the Philippine Association of Maritime Institutions to remove mandatory shipboard training provision in the proposed Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers.

“We cannot agree with the solution offered by PAMI of removing the requirement of shipboard training and making the four-year curriculum of maritime education into purely academics or theoretical discussions,” Salo said.

PAMI earlier stressed concerns over the provision in the Magna Carta about mandatory shipboard training.

“I wish to state that this is not a new requirement,” added Salo, chairman of the House Committee on Overseas Workers Affairs.

The solon further said that the measure simply institutionalizes this requirement to ensure full compliance by our maritime higher education institutions.

“This existing requirement is aligned with the findings of the European Maritime Safety Agency, which emphasizes the need for comprehensive reforms in Philippine maritime education,” he said.
He said doing away with it would only exacerbate the situation.

“At present, we have 64 percent of our maritime students who are unable to become full-fledged seafarers because the MHEIs are unable to provide cadetship programs despite being an existing requirement,” he pointed out.

“Removing this requirement will further lessen the students’ chance of fulfilling their dreams of becoming seafarers. Certainly, this is not in line with the best interest of our students and the whole Philippine maritime industry,” Salo explained.

He said the provision acknowledges the need to maintain a delicate balance between theoretical knowledge and practical application and to ensure that our students undergo the complete maritime education essential for them to be full-fledged seafarers.

The solon added that contrary to the apprehensions raised by PAMI, the shipboard training provisions of the Magna Carta do not seek to undermine the interests of MHEIs.

“The provisions in the Magna Carta encourage collaboration by providing multiple compliance mechanisms such as having their training ships, utilizing simulators or similar technologies, or entering into agreements with reputable shipping entities,” he said.