Pinalawig ng European Commission’s Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport ang pagkilala sa maritime education, training at certifications ng mga Filipino seafarers.
Ayon kay Migrant Workers Secretary Susan Ople, naagapan ang namumuong krisis sa mga Filipino seafarers.
Sabi ni Ople, nasa 50,000 na seafarers ang nasagip at nailigtas mula sa panganib na mawalan ng trabaho.
Patunay aniya ang desisyon ng European Commission na mayroong leadersihip at political will si Pangulong Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. na makasunod sa international standards.
“With this decision, a crisis of monumental proportions has just been averted,” pahayag ni Ople.
Base sa liham na natanggap ng Pilipinas noong Marso 31, sinabi ni Director-General Henrik Hololei kay Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) administrator Hernani Fabia na-assess na ng kanilang hanay ang kakulangan sa International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW Convention) and Code.
“Based on the answers of the Republic of the Philippines and on all available information, the Commission has concluded that the measures taken demonstrate concrete progress and improvement as regards the compliance with the requirements of the STCW Convention,” pahayag ni Hololei.
“The outcome of the analysis allows the EU to extend the recognition of the Republic of Philippines STCW system. Nevertheless, the services of the European Commission consider that there are still issues to be addressed,” dagdag ng EU official.
Umaasa aniya ang kanilang hanay na patuloy na palalakasin pa ng Pilipinas ang sistema.
Nasa Geneva ngayon si Ople at pinasalamayan ang European Commission (EC).
“We look forward to the start of technical cooperation between the Philippines and EC in professionalizing and further improving the skills of Filipino seafarers,” pahayag ni Ople.
Matatandaan na noong Disyembre, nakipagpulong si Pangulong Marcos sa shipowners sa Brussels para mabuo ang International Advisory Committee on Global Maritime Affairs (IACGMA) na ngayon ay nag-aalok ng technical advice sa Department of Migrant Workers on seafarers’ concerns.