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Maritime Boards to be Revamped

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The Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) has resolved to revamp the

marine board exams by October 2021 as part of its drive to rid the agency of corrupt practices and improve certi�cation standards. Since MARINA took over the conduct of board examinations for deck and engine o�cers from the Professional Regulation Com-mission (PRC) in January 2015, maritime stakeholders have be-moaned the blatant lack of integrity that has hounded the licensure pro-cess for o�cers. In the past, irregularities surrounding the licensure exams have included leakage of entire exam contents being sold to unscrupulous review centers, and even some test takers allegedly taking – and pass-ing with �ying colors -- the exams in absentia. According to concerned in-siders, corrupt practices surrounding the licensure exam process is only the start of a long line of lucrative and unethical deals conducted with the full knowledge of some well-con-nected MARINA employees who derive great monetary bene�ts from such transactions. MARINA’s mandate over the conduct of the licensure exams was granted as part of the IRR for RA 10635, also known as the "Act es-tablishing the MARINA as the single maritime administration for the im-plementation and enforcement of the 1978 International Convention on Standards of Training, Certi�cation and Watchkeeping (STCW) for Sea-farers, as amended, and Internation-al Agreements or Covenants related thereto". �is law provides that all powers, duties and functions of PRC on examination, licensing and certi-�cation system for marine deck and engine o�cers as provided in RA No. 8544, otherwise known as the Philippine Merchant Marine O�cers Act of 1998, shall henceforth be exer-cised by MARINA, it has been faith-fully done so since the law was slated for full implementation in 2015. Fur-ther, it also dictated that MARINA assumes all the powers and functions not only of PRC, but also those of

CHED, TESDA, DOH and NTC relative to the issuance, validation, veri�cation, correction, revocation or cancellation of certi�cates of com-petency (COCs), endorsement, pro-�ciency and documentary evidence required of all seafarers, and all such other matters pertaining to the im-plementation of STCW Convention. �e revamp, which is ex-pected to be in full force by Octo-ber of this year, aims to increase test rigor by adopting the question bank approach that is similarly used by the PRC. In this method, duly-vetted subject matter experts (SMEs) will

formulate several thousand ques-tions on relevant subject matters. Any one of these questions might be drawn at random in the composition of the �nal exam content, ensuring a comprehensive assessment of exam-inee’s general pro�ciency. Prior to MARINA’s han-dling of the marine boards, this was pretty much how PRC conduct-ed examinations. However, when MARINA took over in 2015, the three-module examination which was held by PRC over the course of two testing days was reduced to a 200-question module designed to

be taken over a half-day period. MARINA Administra-tor VAdm Robert Empedrad and VAdm. Rene Medina is fairly opti-mistic that a renewed approach to improving test rigor and integrity should succeed. He has since ap-pointed Capt. Jun Arcillana, and Capt. Edgardo Flores to formulate the contents for the Deck exam for the OIC and Management Level of-�cers; while Chief Engr. Tony Gas-con and Chief Engr. Rody Virtu-

By Joana Chrystal Ventura

Maritime Boards to be Revamped

Continued on page 9

Maritime industry insiders have long questioned the integrity of marine review centers who are able to claim a guaranteed 100% passing rate for their enrolees and even 100% in all subjects. What is even more astounding is their consistent ability to make true on their promise. As incredulous as it

-nomically high marks. In fact, it’s not uncommon to have some of them achieve a perfect 100% score. For comparison, board and bar exams for other professions such as medicine, engineering, law, and nursing typically log scores that are in the lower 90s for their topnotchers. It is a bit suspicious, therefore, for many review center prodigees to score so brilliantly in the boards, especially if one con-siders that many of these so-called “geniuses” usually have past scholastic records showing them to be mediocre students at best.

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Continued on page 7Continued on page 7

INSTRUCTOR vs ASSESSORMARINA STCW 2014-04 De�nition 3.1 “Instructor” means any person accredited or permitted by the Administration to conduct in-service training of a seafarer, either on board or ashore in an MTI, which is intended to be used in qualifying for certi�cation under STCW. De�nition 3.2 “Supervisor” means any person accredited or permitted by the Administration to be responsible for the supervi-sion in-service training of a seafar-er, either on board or ashore in an MTI, which is intended to be used in qualifying for certi�cation under STCW. De�nition 3.3 “Assessor” means any person conducting

in-service assessment of compe-tence of a seafarer, either on board or ashore in an MTI, intended to be used in qualifying for certi�cation under STCW.Clari�cations �e STCW 2010 Ma-nila Amendment failed to de�ne “in-service training” probably be-cause there is no need! However, www.collinsdic-tionary.com de�nes “in-service training” as training that is given to employees during the course of employment. As simple as it gets! Following the de�nition of “in-service training”, a seafarer may only be under “in-service training” when he is an “apprentice” or “ca-

No More Anting-Anting, Goodbye Agimat

As the millennials would say, things go right when you �nally land

in the right hands. I am happy to report that a�er years of protesting against the blatant cheating that is going on in the mari-time licensure exams, MARI-NA, under the leadership of Administrator Empedrad and Adm. Rene Medina, is �nal-ly doing something about it. Starting October, unscrupulous review centers are going to have a harder time producing so-called “geniuses” with perfect grasp of theoretical knowledge. A few months from now, examinees will no longer be taking exam content that has been pre-sold to unscrupu-lous review centers by corrupt MARINA insiders. Instead, the exact contents of each exam-ination is about to be random-ly drawn from a pool of 12,000 questions formulated by hand-picked subject matter experts to ensure that each examination module can accurately gauge theoretical competency in rele-vant areas. �is is a much-wel-comed change from the modus operandi of past years where

the exam content can be easily downloaded and then sold o� to the right buyer for the right price. For instance, there is a certain review center that has been around for years, claiming that with their anting-anting, it’s impossible to fail the licen-sure exam. To be fair, they are indeed saying the truth because those who enroll in this review center are not only able to pass, they are also able to get perfect scores in all subjects. I am wild-ly outraged at the idea that the Philippines is positively crawl-ing with maritime savants, I al-most want to contact the Guin-ness World Records people to validate it, because nowhere in the world, in any continent, has this feat been managed. Let me put things into perspective. Candidates for medical licensure who typically score in the low 90s will usual-ly rank as topnotchers of their batch. �e same goes for those who take the bar, and those who seek to be licensed in oth-er professions such as engineer-ing, nursing, accountancy, and

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UGONG NG MAKINA AT IKOT NG ELISE

Continued on page 14

Hefty Price Tags

Have we become too expensive for our own good? �e rise of the Fil-

ipino seafarer began in the 1960s, when Greek shipowners discovered that the Pinoy marino was a good bargain. �e principals found Fil-ipino crew and o�cers to be hard-working, able to work well with oth-er nationals, very competent, and highly adaptable, thanks to their �u-ency in the English language. More enticingly, their salary was priced at a lower bracket compared to their European counterparts. �e demand for Filipino

seafarers continued to increase foranother decade a�er that: in the ear-ly 70s, when the economy of Japan boomed and they were starting to be the tech giant that they have be-come now, many Japanese seafarers quit their sea career since the earn-ing opportunities were practically equal or even exceeded by land-based positions. As this happened, it le� Japanese vessels unmanned, and Filipino workers came to �ll the gap. Triggered by the deploy-ment boom, maritime schools sprouted like mushrooms, eager to produce maritime graduates dream-ing of a better life for themselves and

their families. Your average farmer’s son was suddenly coming home a�er a year or so onboard, dripping with dollars. From a few hundreds of sea-farers employed by foreign shipown-ers in the 70s, to hundreds of thou-sands by the era of the Y2K rush, Filipinos were the most sought-a�er seafarers by foreign shipowners. Some would say that it brought about a sense of hubris among some: there are a few Filipi-no seafarers who believe themselves indispensable to foreign principals.

**** **** **** Meanwhile, the rest of the world continues to evolve, as it does.

�e collapse of the Berlin wall gradually changed the land-scape of the European workforce market as some European shipown-ers took on Eastern European crew members whose skills overlapped with Filipino seafarers. Back in Asia, China became aggressive with economic viability and started beef-ing up their maritime and seafaring sector. �e formerly war-ravaged Vietnam also got back on its feet, and now boasts no less than three world-class maritime universities. Even smaller countries like Myanmar caught on: like India and Indonesia, they are now producing quali�ed seafarers at par with the Philippines’ choice o�erings.

**** **** **** As for the Philippines, we are not exactly enjoying the golden age of maritime industry right now. Quite the opposite, in fact. Since the heyday that was the 1970s, a few cooks had gotteninto the soup and now things are in a bit of a muddle. For decades, the seafaring industry has been running like a big orchestra without a conductor: we have no less than 14 di�erentgovernment agencies running their own score sheet in the musicthat is the seafaring industry, and each of their agencies are playing at their own tempo. �e result is a discordant sound. For example: while sea-based employment has its own pe-culiarities, the oversight of seafarer contracts falls under the jurisdic-tion of the POEA, which doesn’t even have an experienced maritime o�cer in its board. Another nasty example: since the mid1990s, the adjudica-tion for seafarer cases were remand-ed to the National Labor Relations

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By: Ejay Nieva

THE Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) and the Department of Science and Technology-Phil-ippine Council for Industry, En-ergy, and Emerging Technolo-gy Research and Development (PCIEERD) have o�cially joined forces to augment the country’s maritime industry through sci-ence and technology (S&T).

In a report, DOST Secretary Fortunato “Boy” T. de la Pea stat-ed that the cooperation aims to advance “Science and Technology for Maritime Transport Applica-tions (STMTA).”

“�e STMTA is set up to en-sure that the country’s maritime transport industry thrives as a result of S&T operations and ad-vancements in alternative fuels and energy-e�cient water, trans-

portation technologies, renewable energy, merchant �eet moderniza-tion, and intelligent transportation systems (ITS),” he said.

According to the DOST Chief, the MOA envisions estab-lishing a maritime research and development (R&D) facility under MARINA.

“To do this, DOST-PCIEERD will provide project support, su-pervision and management assis-tance, and guidance. According to de la Pea, MARINA will also con-tribute additional funding to help with technology adoption, opera-tion sustainability, and the formu-lation of regulations and proce-dures to ensure the cooperation’s aims are met.”

According to him, by 020, MARINA plans to have 200 routes and 293 RORO (roll-on/roll-o�) ships.

�e following are some of DOST-PCIEERD and MARINA’s STMTA-funded innovative pro-jects:

-Automatic Identi�cation System (AIS) – a transponder for boats or ships that receive data from other AIS-equipped vessels and base stations on a real-time basis for collision avoidance, re-al-time ship control, and moni-toring, search and rescue, crash investigation, and report creation.

• Hybrid Trimaran is a pro-totype watercra� with multiple engines and an ocean wave ener-gy-based alternative renewable en-ergy system.

• Marine Route Transport Information System (MARIS) — modular so�ware for e�ective route capacity assessment, as part of MARINA’s Philippine maritime industry modernization initiative.

• NAVIS (Navigational Traf-fic Information System) — an application that allows a user to calculate the appropriate number of marine vessels for a specific route.

• Solar Assisted Electric Boat – A solar-assisted electric boat will be created as a safe, economical, and sustainable solar-assisted plug-in electric boat for island tourism and passenger transportation.

• Data-driven Port Capacity Measurement System including modules for port berthing capac-ity estimation and ship trip sched-uling so�ware.

• Port Capacity Assessment and Route Optimization

The DOST-PCIEERD is looking to invest P975 million to modernize its maritime indus-try and bring it to international standards.

DOST & MARINA to help amplify Philippine maritime freight sector

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from page 4

the like. It is only the marine o�cers who are able to consis-tently score 100% in the boards, just like that! I mean, I guess it could be understandable if that was something accomplished by someone with a pristine ac-ademic record during their days in maritime college – but come on now, surely it’s undoubted-ly suspect if it’s something that happens as a matter of rote, right? Right? You might think that my conclusions are reasonable, but actually, there are those with the audacity to question the log-ic of my assumptions, even go-ing so far as to take o�ense. For instance, when I raised such a stink about these �shy practic-es, I found myself slapped with

an online cyberlibel lawsuit by a certain Board Examiner named James Paul Llamas. I’ve come to a point in my life where lawsuits hard-ly bother me anymore. I went through the motions and got myself �ngerprinted, and posed for the obligatory mugshot in accordance with that case. But to date, I still have not heard or received a perfectly good expla-nation as to how so many board examinees are able to garner perfect scores without question-ing either the integrity or the competency of those assigned to oversee marine licensure ex-aminations. I think it’s a well-known secret in the maritime scene that cheating is going on, it’s only a question of means: are

leakage and cheating being done because those in charge are too corrupt to uphold the integrity of the board exams, or is it being done because those in charge are too stupid to �gure out how to protect the integrity of the board exams? If you recall, it was also in 2018 that the police nabbed no less than �ve MARINA em-ployees for an entrapment op-eration where they attempted to sell exam leakage for no less than half a million pesos to the owner of a review center turned whis-tleblower. It was also that same year that I discovered that there is more than one way to cheat the licensure exams: at around that time, an infor-mant from MARINA shared with me some log-in data from MARINA computers show-ing test-takers logging in and

passing the boards at irregular hours like 1am in the morn-ing. Obviously, shenanigans such as these are not possible without the assistance of some-one well-positioned within the agency itself. I’ve been protesting about the lucrative business of rigged examinations for too long, but it is only under the current administrator that things seem to be �nally mov-ing in the right direction. Well, I am optimistic that come Oc-tober, the cheaters and those who abet them will no longer be able to enjoy the spoils of their crimes. �e burning question is: without leakage and the ability to guarantee a 100% passing rate from here on, what else can these unscrupulous review centers of-fer to enrollees so that they can remain in business?©

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BY: Judy Domingo

A recent report released by BIMCO and the Internation-al Chamber of Shipping (ICS) advises that the maritime industry should seriously improve training and recruitment levels if it is to avert a severe shortage in total supply of officers by 2026.

The Seafarer Workforce Report foresees that an extra 89,510 officers will be needed to run the world merchant marine fleet by 2026, this is in line with the increasing demand for STCW certi-fied officers. According to the report, 1.89 million seafarers cur-rently serve the world merchant fleet, which operates more than 74,000 vessels worldwide. As per the new report, there is an ongo-ing shortage of 26,240 STCW certified officers which suggests that demand for seafarers in 2021 has surpassed supply. The shortage is presumed to be caused by a reported growth in officers needed onboard ships, approximately 1.4 officers required per berth. This is despite the fact that the supply of officers has increased by 10.8% since 2015.

Furthermore, some officer classifications are in particularly short supply. There is indeed a scarcity of officers with technical experience, particularly at management level, and there is an iden-tified limited supply of management level deck officers in the tanker and offshore sectors.

Based on the report, the industry has made significant develop-ment in the last five years in minimizing officer turnover rates from 8% to 6%, keeping eligible seafarers, and increasing the number of years they work onboard. The average age of officers performing at the management and operational levels has surged since the 2015 report’s estimates.

“The Seafarer Workforce report warns of a shortfall in officers by 2026. To meet the future demand for seafarers it is vital that the

industry actively promotes careers at sea and enhances maritime education and training worldwide, with a focus on the diverse skills needed for a greener and more digitally connected industry. This is especially important as we recover from the effects of the pandemic, and we will need to address the real concerns that we could see sea-farers turning away from careers in shipping. We must analyze and respond to trends in seafarer retention, and continue regular moni-toring of the global seafarer workforce, to ensure that the supply of STCW certified seafarers continues to keep pace with demand,” the Secretary General of the International Chamber of Shipping Guy Platen stated.

While BIMCO Secretary General & CEO, David Loosley, noted that the Seafarer Workforce Report is not only a useful tool but also a necessary one when it comes to planning and assuring that the backbone of world trade is sufficient in numbers and skills.

He further expressed that, “The insight and data contributions from shipping companies, national maritime administrations, and maritime education and training institutions to the new report is invaluable in gaining a picture of what our industry must prepare for in the future of seafarer recruitment and retention.”

The study likewise identifies variations in the seafarer work-force, examining a multitude of demographic data such as age, na-tionality, and gender. According to the most recent statistics, there is a good indicator in gender equity, with an approximately 24,059 women working as seafarers, a 45.8 percent growth from the 2015 report. Female STCW certified seafarers account for 1.28 percent of the global seafarer workforce, and there appears to be a huge growth in female STCW certified ratings especially in comparison to STCW certified female officers, with female ratings primarily found in the cruise ship and passenger ferry industries. Female officer numbers are more distributed equally across sectors.

BIMCO, ICS Report warns possible Ship O�cer Shortage

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8 TINIG NG MARINO JULY-AUGUST 2021 JULY-AUGUST 2021from page 3

dazo handle the Engine Department content. Some have pointed out that for MARINA to be given blanket authority over competency regula-tion and the issuance of all certi�-cations encompassing professional marine quali�cations have resulted in a lamentable abuse of the system, as evidenced by the proliferation of “anting-anting” tactics, and the boom of so-called ‘genius’ factories. Anting-anting tactics refer to marketing tactics of some review centers who are able to guarantee a 100% passing rate for their enroll-ments, thanks to their possession of so-called “lucky charms”, or “talis-mans” – a euphemistic reference to exam leakage. �anks to these anting anting, MARINA has since sworn in

an inordinate number of o�cers who were easily able to manage perfect or near perfect scores in what has his-torically been a challenging test. As United Filipino Seafarers (UFS) pres-ident Engr Nelson P. Ramirez him-self has o�en pointed out for several years now, such grades are feats high-ly improbable in reality, as it implies a near perfect theoretical knowledge – something that not even sea-worn veterans can claim. �e suspect nature of the licensure exams have remained an essentially open secret within the in-dustry for the greater part of the past seven years. In the meantime, mar-itime review centers have sprouted like mushrooms along the streets of Kalaw, with the most brazen ones practically promising to put a license card in the examinee’s hands. Last January 2018, �ve MARINA employees and a training school o�cial were caught trying

to sell the questions and answers in the marine desk o�cer licensure examination to a review center. �e six were caught during an entrap-ment operation inside the Pipe-down Review Center along Kalaw Street in Ermita. According to re-view center owner Jobet Francisco, the group of MARINA employees contacted him and o�ered to sell the entire contents of the examina-tion for P500,000 as he later report-ed to the police. �e six that were arrested by the Manila Police District (MPD) were Julius Maquera, monitoring di-vision evaluator; Christian Asistores, and Malone Morales, who were both from the surveillance division; John Daniel Miron, and Teodorico Dioni-sio, both information technicians; and Jomarie Antiquera, the market-ing manager of North Star Training Center, and the one who made the o�er to Francisco.

�e leakage was accessed by Miron and Dionesio, who were able to download and copy the exam contents to a USB drive. It should be noted that while the employees were all con-tractual, most of them had connec-tions to higher-ups in the agency. For instance, Maquera also hap-pens to be the son of Lina Maquera: the chief administrative of the Hu-man Resources Management De-velopment Division, and Zaldy Maquera, chief of the Manpower Development Services in charge of the Seaman’s Book. Meanwhile, Miron is said to be the nephew of another employ-ee who works in the HR Division, while Morales is the son of a for-mer employee who has died several years prior to the incident. Review centers in Manila charge anywhere from P30,000 to P35,000.©

Maritime Boards...

VADM Laroya, the new PCG Commandant!

President Rodrigo Duterte formally named Vice Admiral Leopoldo Laroya as the new Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Commandant to re-place the retiring chief Admiral George Ursabia Jr. Laroya, a native of Quezon City, graduated from the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) in 1988 as a proud member of the "Maringal" class. As a diligent student with a strong desire to learn, he was able to complete his post-graduate studies at the World Maritime University in Malmö, Sweden, and earn the degree of Masters in Maritime Safety and Environmental Protection in 2000. Prior to his appointment as Deputy Commandant for Oper-ations, CG Vice Admiral Laroya held several key positions, including Commander of the Maritime Safety Services Command, Commander of the Coast Guard Education, Training, and Doctrine Command, and Commander of the Maritime Security and Law Enforcement Command.He was also the District Commander of PCG Districts in Western Vi-sayas, Northwestern Luzon, Southwestern Mindanao, NCR-Central Lu-zon, and Bicol. He was awarded the coveted Command at Sea badge a�er com-manding two �agship Coast Guard search and rescue vessels (SARVs), the BRP Batangas (SARV-004) and the BRP Nueva Vizcaya (SARV-3502). His remarkable achievements and numerous awards, including the Coast Guard Legion of Honor, Bronze Cross Medal, Outstanding Achievement Medals, Superior Achievement Medals, Coast Guard SAR Medals, and Military Merit Medals, exemplify his passion and commit-ment to public service. United Filipino Seafarers extends its congratulations and sup-port to the newly appointed Commander.

By Judy Domingo

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By Engr. Rainero B.Morgia, MSc Env, ChE

By: Ejay Nieva

THREE of the world’s top maritime countries have proposed establishing a seafarers’ mutual emergency fund to help marooned seamen.

At the latest International Mari-time Organization (IMO) legal com-mittee, China, Indonesia, and the Phil-ippines suggested forming a mutual emergency fund as desertion instances continue to rise.

Since the beginning of the epidem-ic last year, the IMO’s legal committee has observed an increase in the number of incidents of seafarer abandonment.

�e ILO/IMO joint database on abandonment documented 111 new incidents between January 2020 and April this year. Eighty-�ve of these oc-currences transpired last year, with the remaining 26 happening in the �rst quarter of 2021.

According to the IMO, only 46 have been settled since then, and 27 more have been recorded since April.

A total of 1,300 seamen were ad-versely a�ected.

Abandonment occurs when the owner fails to pay salaries for at least two months, fails to cover the expense of repatriation, or fails to provide sup-

port and maintenance to the seafarer.�e International Maritime Or-

ganization (IMO) is working to pro-vide practical guidelines for the �ag and port nations to cope with aban-donments to be resolved promptly.

�e speci�cs of how the emergen-cy fund will operate should be evident by March 2022, when the next legal meeting is held.

According to the proposal, the money must only compensate depor-tation and not overdue wages, and it should not provide undue advantages to �ag states that fail to meet their com-mitments.

China, Indonesia, and the Philippines introduce emergency fund plan for increasing seafarer

abandonment cases

Image source: ITF

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Turn to page 25

Research reveals seafarers’

challenging life amidst crucial

times

At the height of crucial times among seafarers now, the Covid-19 pandemic and alarming surge of

hijackings among tankers, the seafarers’ happiness index has dropped at its lowest in years. The Seafarers Happiness Index (SHI) is the shipping industry’s ongoing barometer of the key issues facing those at sea today. Over 2,500 seafarers are asked 10 key questions each quarter, which tend to share their views about specific issues affecting their life and work. Overall, the findings demonstrate a drastic drop, with a score of 5.99 out of 10 from April to June, down from 6.46 out of 10 in the first quarter of 2021. Scores dropped in every bracket. As per Steven Jones, the report’s lead author and project founder at the Mission to Seafarers charity, “There were clear indications that the ongoing issues relating to crew travel, uncertainty over contracts, and an almost complete and universal ban on shore leave are taking a negative toll on seafarers” “Even areas that usually hold up well, such as social interaction on board, were struggling, and the responses re-ceived painted a picture of stress, fatigue and frustration.

Jones further stated that there was a growing sense of weariness with the problems at sea, compounded by percep-tions that ships are working harder than ever to deliver on the demands of trade. Seafarers spoke of feeling constant stress and pressure.Sea of despair The pandemic has caused many crew signoffs to be postponed, which would normally enable seafarers to rotate, come ashore, and head back home. Due to international travel restric-tions, plenty have stayed longer onboard than their contracts would have required. Several cases of hijackings and se-rious accidents aboard massive shipping vessels in the Middle East have height-ened awareness on the safety of those on board. An investigation by the flag state into the hijacking of the MT Gulf Sky off the coast of Khor Fakkan in 2020 demon-strated the distress suffered by the crew who were taken hostage. An incident of suicide of a young Indian crew member was also reported by the captain of the MT Sea Princess, which was also anchored off Khor Fakkan in Jan-uary. The casualty, Bhupendra Shri Suresh, committed suicide onboard the

vessel as he waits for his off signing after his extended time at sea. A drone struck an oil tanker asso-ciated with an Israeli billionaire off the coast of Oman in July, leaving two crew members casualties. It moreover empha-sized the dangers of shipping in some of the world’s most crucial shipping routes. Way back in 2017, Capt Ayyappan Swaminathan and 30 other crew members were left high and dry when their employ-er, Elite Way Marine Services, stopped is-suing their wages. After a two-year battle, Capt Ayyappan was set free from the MV Az-raqmoiah and was authorized to return to India.He is now back at sea on a tanker in the Gulf of Oman shipping oil to Khor Fakkan. Despite the fact that he is paid on a regular basis and works in good condi-tions with a 12-man crew, he claims that anxiety on board has accelerated since news of current hijackings in the area spread. “We hear of these hijackings and incidents happening in this area, so all we can do is keep our company informed and updated with our situation,” Capt. Ayyap-pan told The National by satellite phone.

By Judy Domingo

Continued on page 19

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SAILOR’S CORNER

A FIT-TO-WORK certi�cation by the company doctor can be set aside by the courts since the inherent merit of the case will still be weighed and duly considered.

In the case of OSM Maritime Services v. Nelson Go (GR 238128 February 17, 2021), the Supreme Court disregarded the �t-to-work assessment issued by the company doctor noting that it does not mirror the true condition of the claimant in terms of his ability to resume seafarer duties.

�e seafarer was diagnosed with Meniere’s Disease, which is described as an incurable disorder of the inner ear that causes severe dizziness, ringing sound in the ears, intermittent hearing loss, and feeling of ear pressure or pain.

�e Supreme Court acknowledged that Meniere’s Disease is work-related as it cited the medical certi�cation issued by the seafarer’s private physician, Dr. Radentor Viernes, which stated that the nature of his employment as Oiler/Motorman onboard the vessel is the cause of his illness and/or aggravated the same.

His work as an Oiler/Motorman onboard the vessel exposed him to loud and deafening engine noises, engine heat and harmful chemicals inherent in engine oils.

Taking into account his length of service as an Oiler/Motorman, the seafarer’s continued exposure to these health hazards onboard the vessel had contributed mainly to a very great possibility for him to contract the illnesses and/or having aggravated the same while onboard the vessel.

In most seafarers’ cases for disability or death bene�ts claims, employers deny their liability to pay bene�ts by pointing to the medical reports of the company-designated physician that the seafarer’s illness is not work-connected, that he is �t to work or that the compensation is limited to a lower amount based on a low

disability grading.Such assessment is arrived at

a�er the seafarer submits himself to the company doctor for a post employment medical examination within three days from his repatriation.

While the company doctor must declare the nature of a seafarer’s disability, the Supreme Court stressed in several rulings that Courts are not bound by the medical �ndings of the company doctors.

Said declaration is not conclusive and �nal upon the court in the determination of compensation cases �led by Filipino seafarers, such as in the case of Mr. Go.

According to the assessment of the company-designated physician Dr. Nicomedes Cruz, the seafarer is �t to return to sea duties, which is contrary to the �ndings of his private physician that he is no longer �t to work as a seaman in any capacity.

�e overall situation of the seafarer proves that he is un�t for se a duty.

�e Court noted that the seafarer failed his Pre-Employment Medical Examination because

he was found to be un�t for sea duties due to Meniere’s Disease. �is means that, ultimately, the seafarer cannot be given the proper clearance to resume his occupation even if he was found to be �t to work by Dr. Cruz.

�e medical �ndings in the PEME regarding the seafarer’s un�tness to return to work was also veri�ed and con�rmed by the assessment of Dr. Vierneswhen the latter issued his medical certi�cate.

Due to the permanent and incurable nature of the Meniere’sDisease that would inde�nitely deprive the seafarer gainful employment and the opportunity to earn therefrom, the Supreme Court resolved to grant the seafarer Mr.Go the full amount of disability bene�ts.

Fit-To-Work certi�cations are even given to seafarers who are still not cured or in essence can no longer be employed.

�e �ndings cannot be taken as “gospel truth” due to the proliferation of obviously biased company doctors. (Wallem v. NLRC 318 SCRA 623)

�e Supreme Court noted in

Magsaysay v. Buenaventura (GR 195878. January 10, 2018) that the judicial bodies should not adopt the declaration hook, line and sinker as it may be set aside if it is shown that the diagnosis of the company doctor is attended with clear bias, has no scienti�c basis or is not supported by the medical records of the seafarer.

�e company doctor’s assessment does not evince irrefutable and conclusive weight in assessing the compensability of an illness as the seafarer has the right to seek a second opinion from his preferred physician (Cadornigara v. NLRC, 538 SCRA 363).

Said rulings were based on the prevailing doctrine that “disability is intimately related to the worker’s capacity to earn, and what is compensated is not his injury or illness but his inability to work resulting in the impairment of his earning capacity. �us, disability has been construed less on its medical signi�cance but more on the loss of earning capacity.” (Ilustricimo v. NYK-Fil Ship Management Inc., GR 237487, June 27, 2018)

Disregarding the �t-to-work certi�cation by company doctors

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15TINIG NG MARINO14


Commission, the idea being that this agency could expedite fair de-cisions to the mutual interest of all parties concerned. However, this decision turned out to be a dud because the mechanism of adjudication itself turned out to be fertile grounds for ambulance chasing – a highly unethi-cal practice where unscrupulous law-yers egged seafarers to make spurious health claims against their principals in order to extort huge settlements, of which the lion’s share went to the law-yers rather than the complainants. Up to the present, ambulance chasing has become the bane of shipowners em-ploying Filipino seafarers. It’s really no wonder that as the bright young seafarers of the 1970s and 1980s aged out of the workforce, employers started re-placing their Filipino crews with other nationals: Indians, Indone-sians, Vietnamese, Burmese and Pa-kistanis. �e last millennium closed

with the Philippines as the world’s largest supplier of maritime o�cers and crew, but we no longer lay claim to that title now.

**** **** **** �ere is also the sword of Damocles that is the EMSA certi-�cation, a sharp weapon that has been precariously hanging over our heads for the past decade and half. �e European Union is still uncer-tain how to proceed regarding this matter, as the EMSA is currently re-viewing how the latest audit failure will impact the employability of Fil-ipino seafarers on EU-�agged ves-sels. If the thread breaks and EMSA votes for a ban, then thousands of Filipino o�cers will lose their job. �e Philippine maritime sector has yet to formulate a viable Plan B should that happen, so we’re waiting with bated breath.

**** **** **** And �nally, the pandemic. �anks to the MLC 2006 restrictions which dictate that a seafarer cannot be deployed in excess of 12 consecu-tive months, shipowners are obligat-ed to repatriate their crew, or be held

criminally liable. European seafarers have minimal issues with repatriation and changing of crew, but for Filipi-no seafarers the challenges have only increased. �anks to IATF guidelines, principals have to cope with expen-sive tickets, booking issues, quaran-tine requirements, etc. �ere have been prob-lems encountered in implementing guidelines on the embarkation and repatriation due to stringent guide-lines which are unique to Filipino seafarers. On the contrary, seafar-ers from other countries have no such restrictions and risks of be-ing stranded in transit, so rather than jump through all these hoops, some foreign shipowners have been forced to just replace their Filipino crew with other nationals, since the salary rates have become compara-ble, minus the hassle. As of the moment, I’ve lost count of seafarers sitting at home,waiting in vain for a deployment call while their savings account (if any) rapidly depletes with no hope of �nding land-based work at a time when so many local businesses are

closing shop.**** **** ****

Let’s end this article with a plea: the seafaring sector fully un-derstands the government’s strong commitment to prevent the surge of the COVID-19 variants in the coun-try, and we also recognize that some measures such as lengthened quar-antine periods and repeat RT-PCR swab protocols are health mitigatingprotocol. But we’re hoping that where they are some room for expediting the process such as quick returns on RT-PCR results and faster turn-around on clearance, the Philippine government authorities can at least meet the maritime sector halfway, in the similar vein as the establishment of the Philippine Green Lanes. Maybe the concerned agen-cies can have a sit down with mar-itime labor organizations and li-censed manning agencies to �nd asolution — because, to �nd a solu-tion, you need to have a working knowledge of where the problems are. God knows, from where I stand, the problems le� and right are all that I can see right now.

from page 5

Hefty Price...

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By: Ejay Nieva

DUE to the lasting impacts of the Covid-19 outbreak on the mari-time business, local shipping own-ers are requesting government as-sistance.

According to Lucio Lim, chairman of the Philippine Coast-wise Shipping Association Inc. (PCSA), the domestic shipping industry has lost billions of pesos since the crisis last year, stagnating all passenger and cargo operations.

“Our shipping industry, par-ticularly those in the passenger market, has been severely impact-ed. In the instance of roll-on roll-o� ships, passengers account for around 40% of pro�ts, and they can no longer even get 5% of that,” Lim said in an online discussion.

“We are hoping that things will perk up this summer because another year of this (condition) would be extremely tough for the

business to recover from,” he said.For the time being, cargoes

are keeping the shipping industry a�oat, but mobility is down 10 to 20% from pre-Covid levels.

�ey were le� to their own.During the pandemic’s attack,

the shipping players, according to Lim, have been le� to fend for themselves. “�ere has been no support o�ered to the shipping sector,” Lim said, noting that if there was, it was “just a little” and insu�cient to assist the entire sec-tor.

P9.5 billion was cast aside for the Department of Transpor-tation’s recovery programs within Bayanihan II. A total of P2.6 bil-lion was made aside for transpor-tation-related assistance.

As per Memorandum Circu-lar 42 delivered by PPA general manager Jay Daniel Santiago on Nov. 26, 2020, the assistance is

available to all Philippine-regis-tered vessels sailing in the domes-tic commerce and calling at gov-ernment docks under the control of the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA).

According to the circular, “the �nances that DoTr must therefore transfer to PPA are not in the form of a subsidization to PPA’s opera-tional activities, but rather relate to DoTr’s spending plan under Bayanihan Act II in the amount of P250 million, which will be han-dled as �nancial support to be used in subsidizing the expenses being accumulated from local shipping owners, particularly dockage (do-mestic) and lay-up fee (domestic).”

�e Cebu Port Authority ex-tended P25 million of this sum, according to the PCSA, but only for a short time.

“Many of our ships have been laid up throughout this catastro-

phe. We decided to leave several of our larger passenger ships idle on berths. As a result, we request-ed free parking from the PPA and CPA, comparable to what the air-lines received,” Lim explained.

“�ey con�ned it solely to that amount, P240 million coun-trywide, in the case of the shipping business, when there are more ships than planes,” he continued.

�e organization also called on the government to forgo the yearly tonnage payments, which the Maritime Industry Authority is presently looking into. �ey also want to extend the free dry-dock-ing period because most of the vessels were not used.

“Our government mandates us to dry dock vessels every two years, but given how many of our ships are now on hold, they shouldn’t be too stringent,” Lim added.

Local shipping sector asks for government aid; loses billions of pesos

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16 TINIG NG MARINO JULY-AUGUST 2021 JULY-AUGUST 2021VAST HORIZON

�e grace of humility

Having experienced the art and technique of negotiating repair bills, which is the most crucial part of a superintendent’s

job, marks another milestone in my career. �at was in my stay at Sembawang Shipyard in Singapore when I was assigned there for dry docking supervision. When I was in Tsakos Shipyard (Montevideo, Uruguay), I did not take part in the negotiation as I was mainly concentrating on the repair of the rudder system. A�er that “tension-�lled” and “nerve-wracking” bargaining with shipyard’s commercial sta�, a colleague commented that I am now a full-�edged technical superintendent. But for me, what is more signi�cant during my three-week stint in Singapore is having been able to experience the grace of humility. I was assigned to work with Mr. Li, the most senior superintendent in the company. Prior to my mission to the Lion City, I was told that he is a man of few words, and not as socia-ble as Mr. Leung, my �rst team mate as superin-tendent. I was assured though that I should not take his reticence as a sign of indi�erence. He is generally a nice person but it’s just that he seems to have that air of aloofness about him. �e tip-o� was indeed true. �e �rst time I met him for dinner at the hotel with our managing director, Mr. Yung, I found Mr. Li tru-ly tight-lipped. I seemed to be on tenterhooks as I braced myself for his authoritative look. I wished I could �gure out his thoughts and feel-ings as the managing director and I did most of the talking. In our �rst few days of encounter, I could not help but feel all the respect and reverence for Mr. Li. At more than 70 years of age, he is still very healthy, in tip-top shape to be exact. He has a good posture unlike other people his age. He walks briskly. I observed too that he did not catch his breath in going up and down during our car-go hold and ballast tank inspections. He could eat any food, without any re-strictions at all. Seeing him savor prawns and pork almost every meal every day le� me in awe. While poor me could only feast on �sh, chicken, and vegetables in Manila for fear that the mon-ster gout would be awakened a�er many years of hibernation. Mr. Li always insisted that I partake of

the prawn dishes and suggested gravy or sauce that went well with them. I was touched because under that seemingly unfriendly bearing is a caring person. How could I refuse such fatherly gesture? So I relished on the delicious seafood which I tried to avoid before. My worst fear happened. I felt my elbow aching. Oh no, I panicked, thinking of those days years ago when just a passing wisp of air on the a�ected joint would leave me in excruciating pain. When Mr. Li learned about it, he did not allow me to carry out my inspection that day. He immediately ordered medicines for gout from the ship chandler. Gladly, the pain was gone the following day. I also tried to avoid the shrimps, but as al-ways, the paternal concern in him that I enjoy my meal gave way to my diet plan. I just saw to it that I prayed �rst to ask God to bless the food and melt the uric acid if there were any. Miraculously, the pain was gone until I came back to Manila. It was a humbling experience. Here I am, very much younger than Mr. Li, but is very conscious of what I eat, especially those very rich in calories and cholesterol. In our three weeks of working together, we had good rapport. I gave him due respect in decision-making. I was able to make him laugh. Before long, we were sharing ideas about our job and the plans of the Company. He con�ded that his blood pressure and complete blood chemis-

try are all normal. I also learned that he jogs for one hour in the morning and swims for another hour in the evening. No wonder. He rather work than talk. His vast knowledge and experiences show in his technical expertise and his way of dealing with people in the shipyard and on board. When I was much younger, I was a proud person. I bragged about my potentials and achievements. I did not allow anybody to upstage me in terms of discussion on any topic under the sun. I would not allow anybody to cur-tail my pride. But as the years went by, I am glad that I have learned my lessons well, especially on the grace of humility. I think the formation sem-inars that I have attended in our parish helped a lot, too. Like, in one of St. Peter’s epistles to the Christian communities in Asia Minor, he wrote, “Clothe yourselves with humility in your dealings with one another, for God opposes the proud but bestows favor on the humble.” So now, I rather concentrate developing my cra� than basking in the limelight of vainglory. I’m now sharing this experience to our millions of Tinig Ng Marino readers, not to ex-tol self-glori�cation but rather to impart some values in life which I’ve gained as I walk down the road of change. Anyway, back to Mr. Li. When it was parting time, I don’t know but I felt a tinge of sadness. He was �ying back to Hong Kong and me to the “land of more than the usual.”

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“I am watching the ra-dio all the time as we are all very worried about this. “We have taken certain precautions and we know we must stay calm. The company is supporting us, and the crew is all fine.” The Mission to Seafar-ers is conducting pastoral care and consultation to the crew of the MT Mercer Street and is on standby for the MT Asphalt Princess, which has also been threatened with hijacking in the Gulf of Oman this week. According to the index, there was slight di�erence in hap-piness levels across age brackets. The 45-55 age group came in first place, with an av-erage happiness score of 6.86. Despite the fact that the majority of respondents had been on board for less than six months, 9% had been on board for more than a year. This even found that a large number of commercial sailors were men, with only 4% of those who took part in the survey being women. The majority of those who responded to questions online were from South-East Asia, with Indian crew making up the second largest group. Some tankers that have been abandoned while anchored o� the coast of the UAE in re-cent years have made headlines around the world due to the crew’s poor living conditions. Life on board these “ghost ships,” which are fre-quently unpaid and rely on basic rations and fuel to pow-er air conditioning units and generators, can be dreadful when shipping companies run into financial crisis. A new UAE govern-ment resolution addressing

seafarers’ rights, on the oth-er hand, will impose tougher fines on shipping companies that violate the rules. �e Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure has proposed a framework to defend the rights of seafarers on board ships in UAE waters and harbours. Owners of abandoned vessels will face a Dh20,000 fine, plus an additional

from page 11Research reveals...

Dh10,000 fine for each seafar-er on board. “Conditions are oth-erwise good on board, we are getting paid on time, so it is a new life for me compared with before,” Capt Ayyappan spoke. “Now I am back to sea, thanks to the support I have had, I have a second chance in this career. “We are all facing the

worry of not getting signed off the vessel in time because of the problems caused by the pandemic. “Hopefully things are beginning to improve, so we can fly home soon once we ar-rive in port. “Already some crews have been waiting for nine months to return home.”Source: The National

21TINIG NG MARINO20


By: Ejay Nieva

ACROSS the world, the mari-time apostolic mission provides spiritual and pastoral support to seafarers and their families.

�e South Korean chapters of a worldwide Catholic marine organization are preparing to honor their centennial festivities with pledges to provide greater spiritual and pastoral care to all mariners in the coming days.

�e Vatican’s Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human De-velopment sponsors the Apostle-ship of the Sea, a Catholic pastoral mission for sailors. Last year, the ministry changed its name to Stella Maris (the Star of the Sea), which is the Latin name for Virgin Mary.

On Oct. 4, 1920, the organi-zation was founded in Glasgow, Scotland, at the �rst Maritime Pas-toral Convention. In 1922, Pope Pius XI gave its formal status.

�e ministry was established in South Korea in 1978, a�er ad-vice from the Holy See, according to the Catholic Times of Korea. In the Catholic dioceses of Busan, Incheon, and Suwon, the organi-zation has branches.

Although the ministry com-memorated its 100th anniversary

in 2020, it was postponed because of the Covid-19 pandemic and will be commemorated in a small-er manner, according to church o�cials.

According to Father Kim Hyung, the Korean Church has been assisting overseas seafarers since the ministry began in Busan in 1978, the head of the marine Christian discipleship in the Bu-san Diocese.

Providing onboard Masses for international seafarers and giving spiritual guidance, such as hearing confessions, are two of the ministry’s principal duties. In times of hardship, including arrest and imprisonment, ministry per-sonnel also provide counseling on seafarers’ human rights and social programs.

“As much as feasible, we manage a shelter, have ship-bless-ing ceremonies, and supply vital supplies,” Father Kim explained.

�e maritime ministry of the Busan Diocese is unique. Accord-ing to the priest, it also maintains a marine family pastoral minis-try, which gives services to family members who seek spiritual as-sistance when sailors are away for long periods.

Korean apostolic ministry aims to o�er pastoral services to seafarers

and their families worldwide

21TINIG NG MARINO20


By: Judy Domingo

ACCORDING to the Neptune Declaration Crew Change Indica-tor, only about 15% of the world’s seafarers have been immunized against COVID-19. Moreover, data from top 10 ship managers, who collectively have approxi-mately 90,000 seafarers onboard, con�rm that the crew change cri-sis is worsening.

COVID-19 vac-cinations for seafarers are crucial in resolving the crew change crisis. As a result, the Nep-tune Declaration Crew Change Indicator as of August has been up-dated to include the accumulated percent-age of vaccinated sea-farers. �e indicator is issued once a month and is based on infor-mation presented by ship managers to the Global Maritime Fo-rum, an international non-pro�t association committed to shaping the future of global seaborne trade to fos-ter long-term econom-ic development and human well-being.

Only 15.3 percent of seafarers were vac-cinated in August, ac-cording to data. In large shipping nations in Europe, North Amer-ica, and Asia, the proportion of the population fully vaccinated against Covid-19 is around 50%. �is demonstrates that, regardless of developments in seafarer vacci-nations, their rates lag far behind those of major shipping nations.

“Seafarers must be recognized as key workers and given priority access to Covid-19 vaccines. �is is key to protect seafarers’ wellbeing

and the functioning of global sup-ply chains,” says Kasper Søgaard, Managing Director, Head of In-stitutional Strategy and Develop-ment, Global Maritime Forum.

�e Philippines, Myanmar, Indonesia, Venezuela, and Latvia have been identi�ed by Ship Man-agers as the areas where securing vaccine supplies is the most di�-cult.

“Seafarers are starting to get vaccinated, especially those from developed countries. Programs in the US and some European coun-tries are o�ering vaccines to inter-national seafarers, but many more countries must follow suit to solve the crew change crisis,” Søgaard further stated.

�e August Indicator also proves the unresolved crew change crisis. �e number of seafarers’ on-board vessels even a�er their con-

tracts have expired has increased slightly in the last month, from 8.8 percent to 9.0 percent, and the number of seafarers onboard ves-sels for more than 11 months has increased from 1% to 1.3 percent.

According to the Maritime Labour Convention, a seafarer must serve on board a vessel for a maximum of 11 months without leave.

Since the considerable de-crease in the previous months, the current �gures could imply that the crew change crisis has begun to stabilize. However, the crew change crisis is far from over, as travel restrictions remain in place, particularly for seafarers from In-dia and China, and many inbound �ights, particularly to Australia and the Philippines, have been canceled.

Consistently high infection

rates and subsequent domestic lockdowns, according to ship managers, are complicating crew changes, causing disrup-tion to crew movements, and stretching resources, particu-larly in Eastern Europe. Fur-thermore, the Philippine gov-ernment has imposed a travel ban on seafarers from the Unit-ed Arab Emirates, Oman, Ne-

pal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan, causing further inter-ruption to crew movements.

Hundreds of companies and organizations from around the world have signed the Neptune Declaration on Seafarer Wellbeing and Crew Change to show their support for e�orts to resolve the ongoing crew change crisis, recog-nizing that they share responsibil-ity for resolving the crew change crisis.

Ship Managers: Philippines among most challenged in vaccine supply

2222 TINIG NG MARINO JULY-AUGUST 2021

By: Ejay Nieva

MANILA, Philippines—�e Philip-pine Coast Guard (PCG) announced on Monday that 28 crewmen of a pas-senger ship docked o� the coast of Ba-tangas province screened positive for SARS Cov2, the viral disease commonly known as COVID-19.

Following 28 out of 82 crew mem-bers tested positive for coronavirus, the PCG said it was closely watching the roll-on/roll-o� ship, St. Anthony de Padua.

One member of the crew developed

COVID-19 symptoms when the ship ar-rived in Bauan Bay, Batangas, on Aug. 7 a�er sailing from Aklan, leading him to do an RT-PCR test, which eventually turned out to be positive.

The rest of the crew members were tested, and 27 of them came back positive.

According to the PCG, three of the COVID-positive patients were sent to separate hospitals. �e rest of the crew members with moderate symptoms were kept on board the ship under quar-antine.

28 passengers in a vessel docked in Batangas tested positive for COVID-19

By: Judy Domingo

SINCE the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic last year, the IMO’s Legal Committee has re-vealed a disturbing surge in the rate of seafarer abandonment cases. �e ILO/IMO joint data-base on abandonment recorded 111 new cases between January 2020 and April this year. 85 of these cases occurred in 2020, with the remain-ing 26 occurring in the �rst quarter of 2021. Since then, only 46 have been resolved, with another 27 reported since April.

In 2020, the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) disclosed a slightly reduced number of a�ected vessels and sea-farers, with 53 vessels and about 850 seafar-ers. More than 1,300 seafarers were a�ected, according to the IMO’s 85-vessel count for the year.

�e committee noted two positive results in high-pro�le cases. �e crew of the bulker Ula, who went on a hunger strike in February to protest their continued incarceration in Ku-

wait’s Shuaiba harbor, has been repatriated. One crew member had been on board for more than two years, and the rest had been on board for at least a year. Yet, their compensation has not yet been settled.

Advocates also won the release and repatria-tion of the Kenan Mete’s master, who was e�ec-tively held hostage in an Egyptian hotel a�er a court announced him the vessel’s “judicial guard.” �e owner had aban-doned the ship and her 25 crewmembers, with the captain being the last person to remain. Egyptian o�cials allowed him to �y home a�er the ITF intervened.

�e Legal Committee formed a working group to develop practical guidelines, as well

as a proposed outline covering the legal frame-work, responsibilities, and procedures for port and �ag state authorities, all to address the on-going crew change crisis and the increasing rate of abandonment cases. �e committee also discussed a proposal to create a Seafarers Emergency Mutual Fund to assist crewmem-bers who have been a�ected by abandonment.

IMO recognizes alarming surge in Seafarer Abandonment Cases

det”! Most Filipino cadets are employed on board ves-sels of another Party. �at Party has its own Adminis-tration which is de�nitely NOT MARINA. How therefore shall the de�nitions above apply?MARINA STCW Circular 2014-04 8. OTHER MATTERS RELATING TO THE PERFORMANCE OF FUNCTIONS AS INSTRUC-TOR, SUPERVISOR OR ASSESSOR 8.1 An Assessor may not conduct assessment of competence of a seafarer who had completed an Ap-proved Training Program in an MTI wherein he is the Instructor; 8.2 An Assessor may conduct Assessment of Competence of a seafarer who had completed an Ap-proved Training Program wherein he is the Supervisor; 8.3 A Supervisor may not supervise the conduct of training wherein he is the Instructor, and must always be available to supervise the conduct of ATPs that he is supervising; �is paper wanted to challenge the wisdom of item 8.1 above! In any maritime education and training institute all over the world, since when the instructor was prohibited to examine and assess his/her own stu-dents! Only in the Philippines and only in maritime ed-ucation and training! While the STCW 2010 Manila Amendment was crystal clear on the quali�cations and competence of Instructors, Assessors and Supervisors, NOTHING was explicitly stated about an Instructor being prohibited to be the Assessor of his own students or [email protected]

INSTRUCTOR vs ASSESSOR

from page 4

23TINIG NG MARINOJULY-AUGUST 2021

25TINIG NG MARINO24


By: Judy Domingo

THE Human Rights at Sea is now encouraging the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to raise its level of transparency in reporting cases exposing human and labor rights abuse of seafarers. �e request is part of the maritime industry’s ongoing e�orts to emphasize the di�culties that seafarers face, varying from tough and unfair working conditions to the continuing issues faced by the pandemic.

DNV Maritime’s Knut Ørbeck-Nilssen utilized his commentary in a media update to point out that the crew change crisis “rumbles on” more than 16 months a�er the industry attempted to draw attention to the impact of COVID-19-related travel restrictions on seafarers. Ørbeck-Nilssen emphasized the ongoing need to recognize seafarers as key workers and the slow pace of COVID-19 vaccinations for seafarers, citing DNV’s belief that at least 90,000 seafarers are still unable to come ashore.

“Seventy percent of member states have still not signed up to the IMO’s circular designating seafarers as key workers,” said Ørbeck-Nilssen. He went on to highlight the slower-than-average rate of getting COVID-19 vaccinations for seafarers in the global campaign. “Only 15 percent of the world’s seafarers have been fully vaccinated compared to approximately 25 percent of the global population.”

Human Rights at Sea is also striving to highlight the

Charity Calls for Heightened Transparency in Seafarer Abuse Reports

ongoing welfare issues for seafarers by highlighting the charity’s ongoing push for greater public transparency in order to ensure effective levels and sources of abuse within the shipping industry to the IMO. They are advocating for a fact-based, objective approach to highlighting these issues.

“�e change being requested is needed to address the perception that ‘protectionist blue-washing is occurring’ in relation to those entities involved in sub-standard, manipulative, and/or unlawful activities a�ecting crew and their families,” said the NGO in its public

statement.According to the charity,

the IMO’s current reporting style does not appear to benefit the organization. HRAS questions why the IMO takes the approach it does to reporting calling on the organization to “identify entities by name who are factually known to be involved in cases of proven abuse be they human or labor rights’ failures ashore or at sea.” According to HRAS, if there is little to no deterrence in the existing public reporting system, it could mean that reckless entities cut deals, look the other way, and look after

their own.IMO representative,

Natasha Brown, responded to HRAS saying “We have decided not to engage in ‘name and shame,’ and instead, we have found that the more successful approach is to engage with the countries at the diplomatic level, forge solutions and then report these as examples for others to follow. �is is not about hiding anything; we’re trying to use methods that provide the best chance for solutions.”

Human Rights at Sea is a Charitable Incorporated Organization and registered charity based in the United Kingdom.

25TINIG NG MARINO24


By: Engr. Rainero B. Morgia, MSc Env

ABOUT 90% of everything we consume is transported by sea. Hence, more and more ships are sailing across our oceans as the glob-al trade continuously expands, with each con-suming massive amounts of energy.

�e shipping industry emits approximate-ly 940 million tons of CO2 per year, account-ing for at least 2.5 percent of total global CO2 emissions.

With this, the International Maritime Or-ganization (IMO) has set a goal of reducing these emissions by half by 2050.

�e United Kingdom is the �rst country to include international shipping emissions in its domestic carbon budget.

Aiming to help the shipping industry in meeting the challenge of greenhouse gas emis-sions, Smart Green Shipping (SGS), a UK start-up company, has designed a wind-assist power solution based on America’s Cup wing sails. �e said technology is expected to help reduce the industry’s CO2 emissions.

�e solution technology has its ‘FastRigs’ system which consists of a series of ‘smart’ ver-tical aerofoils installed on ships and accompa-nied with an advanced analytical system that can precisely determine the available wind to any vessel, across any trade route at di�erent speeds.

The wings can also detect when to turn

to take advantage of wind angle and speed, and when to retract when approaching a bridge or when wind speeds pose a threat. Plus, it does all of this independently, which implies there is no need for additional crew to function.

“Wind is free, clean and abundantly avail-able to ships that are equipped to harness it.”, Diane Gilpin, Founder and CEO of SGS, stated.

“Our modern wind-assist solutions are highly advanced and optimised to enable the shipping industry to start driving down emis-sions immediately.

SGS has been utilizing meteorological and satellite technology at the European Space Agency’s Business Incubation Centre UK (ESA BIC UK).

For SGS, the ESA BIC UK assistance over the last two years has been critical to their mission of driving renewables adoption in the maritime industry through wind power.

“�e development of our digital tool is critical to our e�orts to support ship owners assessing the commercial viability of installing wind-assist solutions on their ships.” said Gil-pin.

�e technology will contribute to the crea-tion of the prototype for this trailblazing digital so�ware for this wing sail system.

�is digital so�ware can provide projected annual fuel savings, whether the technology is retro�tted into an existing ship or is part of a new-build con�guration.

�is allows project associates to fund the technology that reduces greenhouse gas emis-sions.

According to ESA BIC UK Operations Manager Dr Sue O’Hare, combining satellite technology and wind power in a mission to reduce CO2 emissions in the global shipping industry is an inspiring example of how space can assist in addressing both our environmen-tal and industrial issues.

“I’m thrilled to have supported SGS in the development of such pioneering technology and wish it every success as it takes its business to the next level.”

�e ESA BIC UK is a UK-wide pro-gramme, incorporating:

• Harwell Campus in Oxfordshire• Sci-Tech Daresbury in the north-west• Royal Observatory in Edinburgh• the new Space Park Leicester.Each location is signi�cantly linked with

world-class areas of expertise from which com-panies participating in the program can bene-�t.

�e ESA BIC UK, which is part of the ESA Space Solutions network of successful ESA BICs across Europe, assists up to 15 start-ups each year with a combination of access to world-class technical expertise, facilities, and business development assistance.

�is is on top of the advantages of being a part of a thriving and unique network of sci-ence and innovation campuses.

Shipping practices carbon emission reduction thru space technology

TINIG NG MARINO26


TINIG NG MARINO26


AT PRESENT, the whole world is struggling to cope in the e�ect of the global pandemic that struck all of us over a year ago, and the seafaring industry particularly the seafarers are no excuse to that. Per-haps in the best of circumstances, seafarers are more prone to fa-tigue than most, with demanding workloads and sleep deprivation amplifying pressure in uncertain conditions.

�e pandemic has indeed stirred a great deal of disaster from these concerns. Crew costs are be-ing cut, and those who maintain face a massive relief scarcity due to coronavirus prohibitions. Imped-ed maintenance and equipment supply exacerbate the situation.

And with the recent Ever Given crisis, the situation further worsens the already critical sup-ply chain. A�er being stuck in the Suez Canal for days in March, one of the world’s largest container ships brought international trade to a halt, causing major disrup-tions.

�e cost of human error�e practical cost of these

cross waves falls, as it always does, on the people at the heart of in-ternational shipping: the captains, co-captains, navigational o�cers, and others, who are dealing with unparalleled levels of physical and emotional exhaustion. In the a�er-math of Covid-19, a lot of seafarers are serving extended contracts on-board without break, while others are promptly brought in, with not enough training in how to handle speci�c ships or environments, such as polar waters.

A latest study from an insur-ance giant AGCS reveals that fa-tigued seafarers is likely a contrib-uting factor in up to 96 percent of maritime accidents. With a 1500% rise in container carrying capacity in 50 years, congested waterways are increasing the risk of collisions in some of the world’s busiest ship-ping areas.

Hence, AI collision avoidance so�ware is a promising essential tool in this dynamic situation. Deep learning machinery can

AI and its role in seafarers’ crucial time

make such a di�erence between smooth sailing and costly errors in challenging situations like low visibility, extreme weather, or crowded ports – scenarios that may well challenge inexperienced crews. More importantly, it has the potential to save both the environ-ment and human lives.

�e ORCA AIIn comparison to other in-

dustries, the maritime sector has been relatively slow to embrace AI technology as a core element of its day-to-day infrastructure. Howev-er, its possibility to minimize the risk due to human error (and the associated high insurance costs) is enormous.

For an instance, AI-powered visual support systems and ther-mal imaging cameras can be used in tandem to detect hidden objects or port hazards in real time, pro-viding crews with a full awareness of what they need to do at any giv-en situation.

�is information can also be used to guide inexperienced navigation o�cers through high-risk situations in real-time video view. Smart alarms can also help in this situation by sending out life-saving alerts when there is a risk of grounding in shallow water, among other things.

Shipping Industry and AIWhen AI is embedded into a

ship’s sensor data, it can help un-

der-stress crews make better deci-sions – but it also has major con-sequences for an industry that’s constantly changing.

Constant data tracking, for example, can classify every ap-proaching ship based on its colli-sion possibility, enabling captains to respond e�ciently and pre-cisely to actual events. According to the European Marine Casualty Information Platform, this type of preemptive insight can prevent the over 3,200 maritime fatalities or mishaps that occur each year.

A ship’s pattern of behav-ior can also be clearly observed using an AI platform, allowing crew to optimize their manage-ment of possible future mishaps. For example, in March 2019, the Viking Sky cruise ship barely avoided accident following an engine failure in Norway. Ac-cording to a subsequent report, the incident was due to a loss of lubricating oil pressure in the vessel’s engines, which was far below recommended levels.

�is type of simple engine or fuel failure can rapidly turn in shipping tragedies, and it can also be predicted by a precise and relia-ble, AI-powered vessel risk pro�le. With this, major maritime insur-ance companies are beginning to recognize the signi�cance of im-proved data models, collaborating with companies such as Orca AI

and Petrodec to revolutionize ma-rine insurance valuation.

Towards the future of shipping�e global uncertainty due to

Covid-19 pandemic was unprec-edented in the shipping industry, but it is improbable to be the last. According to a report released last month by maritime consultancy �etius, pandemics could become more prevalent, with crew exhaus-tion unlikely to decrease any time soon.

�is means that maritime AI should not be relegated to a gilded future vision but should perhaps be used to rectify persistent issues occurring in the present.

Fatigue resulting from re-duced crewing and work over-load, according to the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, re-mains to play a major factor in most of maritime accidents at present.

With the aftermath of Cov-id-19, the Ever Given, and fu-ture crises complicating matters, maritime AI can be viewed as a sort of first aider in the mari-time sector. It is a critical piece of equipment that provides ex-hausted seafarers with informed, data-driven judgements under pressure – amplifying, instead of displacing, human activities as the core element of ships and voyages across the globe.


29TINIG NG MARINO28


Philippine Coast Guard rescues 22 crewmen from �re-damaged cargo vessel in Albay

ON Monday, Aug. 23, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) rescued 22 crew members from a container ship that had caught �re o� the coast of Tabaco City, Albay.

When the cargo ship MV Delwin Matthew, owned and managed by Pherwin Shipping Corporation, caught �re, there were 22 crew members on board, according to the PCG.

According to the investigation, at around 8:45 a.m, one of the crew members detected odd smoke rising from the ship’s galley while sailing o� Barangay

Salvacion, Tabaco City. �e incident was most likely caused by poor electric wiring, according to authorities.

�e crew members attempted to put out the �re with the �re extinguisher, but it quickly spread to the pilothouse, according to the PCG.

Following receipt of the information, PCG o�cers acted quickly, enlisting the cooperation of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP).

Around 11 a.m., the two-hour �re was put out. During the event, no crew members were hurt.

By: Ejay Nieva

MARINA revokes Seafarer SIRB, SID over full disability claimBy Judy Domingo

Is it necessary for a show cause order to be issued before the revocation of SRB and SID of a seafarer who obtained total and permanent

disability bene�ts? In G.R. No. 228078 (Cargo Safeway Inc. vs Leopoldo T. Garcia), the seafarer was de-cided by the court permanently and totally dis-abled and have received full compensation from his company. Consequently, Cargo Safeway Inc. �led a request to the Maritime Industry Authori-ty (MARINA) for the revocation of Garcia’s SIRB and SID pursuant to MARINA Memorandum Circular NO. MD-2019-01.FACTS: �is case stemmed from a Complaint-Af-�davit of Capt. Reynaldo D. Casareo, President of Cargo Safeway, Inc. informing this Authority of the disability bene�ts awarded to Mr. Leopoldo Tolopia Garcia. Consequently, Mr. Garcia should no longer be allowed to renew or be issued with SRB and SID. �e said Complaint was in line with the MARINA Memorandum Circular No. MD-2019-011ltem d. On 21 October 2014, the NCMB ruled over in favor of Mr. Garcia and ordered Capt. Casareo, et al. to pay jointly and solidarity the amount of his permanent total disability and ill-ness allowance, whose decision was a�rmed both by the Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court. Based on the record at hand, herein re-spondent Garcia, was again hired and re- engaged by Cargo Safeway for and on behalf of its prin-cipal, Evergreen Marine Corporation/ Taiwan in 2012. Sometime in June 2013, while respon-dent was on duty, he �gured in an accident as his leg was tangled in the hawser rope, wherein he was tossed and landed on the stairway tumbling down which severely injured his upper and lower back, and was brought to a hospital in China. On

15 June 2013, respondent Garcia was medically repatriated. He was referred to Chinese General Hospital and underwent medical examinations. Due to severity of respondent’s injury, he was advised to undergo surgical operation. Respon-dent eventually underwent the said operation. Respondent was still treated and evaluated by the company doctor and declared not yet �t to resume sea duties. Respondent consulted an in-dependent specialist, Dr. Rogelio Catapang, and declared that respondent lost his pre-injury ca-pacity and is un�t to resume his sea duties. Re-spondent continuously pleaded for medical as-sistance from complainant but was turned down, which compelled respondent to �le a complaint. Complainant alleged that respondent was repa-triated at the end of his term of employment and was paid of his full sickness allowance.MARINA’s Decision In a decision released by the MARINA, it stated: “Acting on the Complaint-A�davit of Capt. Casareo; the Legal Service (LS) issued an Order dated 05 March 2019 directing Mr. Leop-oldo Tolopia Garcia to show cause why the com-plainant’s prayer should not be granted and to prove that he does not fall within the purview of MC No. MD-2019-01. In compliance with the Legal Service's 16 September 2020 Letter—directive, Capt. Casareo thru the in-house Counsel of Cargo Safeway, Inc., Balbin Lucman & Partners Law �rm, furnished this Authority with a formal letter indicating the proof of payment and the relief intend to seek, at-taching copies of proof of payment. On the other hand, respondent Garcia failed to �le his Answer as of to date, hence, this case is now ripe for deci-sion on merits.”

�e MARINA’s decision was concluded a�er Garcia’s time to �le for his answer in a com-

plaint for revocation lapses. �us, is it really nec-essary for MARINA to issue a show cause order to the seafarers who were decided by the court as permanently and totally disabled and were grant-ed their full compensation? Isn’t it undoubtedly clear stated in the MARINA Memorandum Circular No. MD-2019-01 item 6, that: “Seafarers who have been declared by a competent medical practitioner to be permanently disabled to board ship and who have been paid by the insur-ance for such disability shall no longer be allowed to renew or be issued SRB and SID. In case that a�er such declaration of permanent disability, the SRB and SID is still valid, the same shall be deemed automatically revoked.”

�erefore, once the complaining seafarer obtained total and permanent disability bene�ts the necessary consequence of that is the revoca-tion of their SIRB and SID as per the said Memo-randum Circular. �ere is absolutely no need to issue a show-cause order before the SRB and SID are revoked. �e phrase "deemed automatically re-voked" implies that it is done or occurs sponta-neously and without conscious thought. Revoca-tion of SRB and SID is a necessary consequence of being declared permanently disabled, and the seafarer should be aware of this; thus, requiring him to respond in a complaint for revocation is a futile exercise, and it contradicts the above-men-tioned Memorandum Circular. �is automatic revocation or non-renew-al of SRB and SID should also serve as a warning to seafarers not to be enticed by dishonest ambu-lance lawyers into participating in their schemes, or else they will be unable to board the vessel, even on domestic vessels.

29TINIG NG MARINO28



IT WAS in early 2020 when the world was swept by the COVID-19 virus outbreak, resulting to peculiar illnesses and mortalities, destroying economies, disrupting lifestyles, and bringing the world into a complete chaos. �e rapid growth in infected cases compelled coun-tries all over the world to implement lockdowns, primarily to limit the disease transmission and to establish appropriate plans to adapt to the immi-nent threat it posed to society. �e virus outbreak had a negative impact on all aspects of the econ-omy, exacerbating many to cease operations and resulting in setbacks that is immeasurable. And for its unique nature and the strategic role it plays in the global economy and, by extension, the lives of the entire human race, the shipping industry faced a massive dilemma, probably greater than that of other industries.

�e shipping industry is responsible for transporting goods to the farthest reaches of the globe, accounting for more than 85 percent of global trade. And, whilst rest of the world was halted, the industry needed to �nd a way to keep goods moving around the world so that other es-sential sectors – such as pharmaceuticals, indus-trial, and food – could continue to operate.

The shipping industry, alongside aviation, secured the global supply of pharmaceuticals, as well as medicine and medical equipment used in the battle against COVID-19. Evident-ly, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that the industry made a significant contribution to the world’s ability to keep infection and mor-tality rates under control.

According to the Allianz Global Corporate

and Specialty 2020 report, the shipping industry demonstrated excellent tenacity at the height of the pandemic, keeping high trade volumes that are predicted to outperform those of 2019, de-spite a slight decline in the review period. In the face of a crisis that was taking on new dimen-sions every day, the industry has recorded losses that were far below what was estimated. If truth be told, given the economic devastation brought by COVID-19, the report reveals that total losses stayed at a record low for the third year in a row.

�e shipping industry’s persistence amid the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as its ability to perform e�ciently in a world situation in which other industries have been debilitated, demon-strates its capacity to endure any obstacles. It demonstrates its potential to overcome any ad-verse situations and stay viable in the lives of in-dividuals all over the globe. It demonstrates, for example, that with the collaborative e�orts of all stakeholders, the dangers posed by piracy as well as other forms of criminality to global maritime trade can indeed be conquered.

�e Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) in Nigeria were doing e�orts to establish a maritime environment that is dependable and assured, whereas the e�ect of coronavirus pandemic is minimized, allowing economic and social activities to prosper.

It’s been the focus of the agency’s present ad-ministration, which took over at a time when the pandemic was wreaking havoc around the world early 2020.

Teaming up with a variety of key stake-holders, NIMASA has implemented a num-ber of methods and tactics to counter threats in the country’s waterways up to the Gulf of

Guinea, which was particularly serious at a pe-riod when the region was regarded as the most unprotected and risky maritime environment in the world. As a result, Nigeria has suffered the consequences of this negative impression in the manner of insanely high insurance pre-miums, known in the industry as a ‘war risk clause,’ slapped on cargo arriving in the coun-try from anywhere in the world, for the obvi-ous fact that it equates to roughly 70% of mar-itime trade in the region.

Amongst the techniques and methodologies the agency has implemented in combating piracy and other maritime crimes is the �agship Deep Blue Project that is con�rming to be the key dif-ferentiator. NIMASA is teaming up with Nigeria’s armed forces, the police and intelligence services to prosecute the war in a way that is totally new to that country. And the e�orts have paid o�, as �e International Maritime Organization (IMO), the umbrella organization for all countries that active-ly engage in global maritime trade, has recognized a notable decrease in the incidence of piracy and other crimes in Nigerian waterways since NIMA-SA launched the project in February of this year. Not to be overlooked is the legal leverage provided by the Suppression of Piracy and Other Maritime O�enses (SPOMO) Act of 2019, which has allowed the agency to achieve 20 indictments in courts of competent jurisdiction in less than a year.

And now that the upsurge of Covid-19 spreads throughout Nigeria, the support of its citizens par-ticularly those in the maritime sector, in complying to health protocols is vital not only to guarantee a safe and secure environment, but also the wellbeing of all its people in battling against an invisible ene-my that doesn’t seem to �nish anytime soon.

An ode to the maritime industry’s fortitude in the face of pandemic

31TINIG NG MARINO30


By: Ejay Nieva

AN OVERSEAS ship carrying 16 people suspected of possessing COVID-19 is going from Albany to Perth for screening.

�e bulk carrier Ken Hou is scheduled to arrive south of Perth so that Western Australian o�cials can investigate the crew’s respiratory issues. Authorities told the vessel to proceed to Cockburn Sound, in which the workers could be checked, Premier Mark McGowan stated.

He stated the Australian Maritime Authority wants the ship to dwell in Cockburn Sound for a while. “�is morning, I requested assurances that every measure is in e�ect to defend the state in this situation. �ese ships are still a problem.”

K e n Hou, which is traveling u n d e r the Panamanian f l a g , di�ers from past

C O V I D -i n f e c t e d

vessels in that it

originated in �ailand rather than Indonesia.�ailand has been battling the Delta variant of COVID-19 in

the community since April, although doing rather well compared to other Asian countries during the early months of the outbreak. Last week, the country topped one million cases, with nearly 20,000 new infections and 240 deaths reported by authorities on Friday. Almost 10,000 �ais have perished as a result of the illness.

Mr. McGowan explained, “It is di�erent from the previous ships we have had, but we are now dealing with that issue. When she arrives in Fremantle, we will assess her, but we will do everything possible to keep our state safe.”

According to a statement from the Health Department, the decision to allow the ship to berth or not would be based on additional assessments by health specialists to identify the correct course of treatment for the vessel. To prepare for the ship’s arrival, WA Health is collaborating closely with relevant stakeholders.

�e Poavosa Wisdom, set to dock in Cockburn Sound, cited two persons with cold-like symptoms. Mr. McGowan, on the other hand, thought the ship was not a major problem.

“�e assumption, or suspicion, is that it is not COVID, and let us hope that is correct,” he said. “However, I just wanted to be completely upfront and inform everyone that there is another ship that we need to investigate.”

Poavosa Wisdom’s last port of call was in Indonesia on August 1st.

Bulk-carrying vessel with 16 COVID-19 infected crew members to dock in Perth for assessment

31TINIG NG MARINO30


By: Ejay Nieva

ALL Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and seafarers who seek to be vaccinated can do so at the Caloocan City Government’s vaccination centers.

OFWs and seafarers could go to any accessible immunization location in Caloocan at any time starting Friday, August 27. �ere is no need for a vaccination permit or an online appointment.

�ese individuals just need to carry a valid photo ID, a pen, and their Seaman’s book,

OWWA Certi�cate, or a call document from the o�ce where they are being summoned to report to. �e goal of this move, according to Mayor Oscar “Oca” Malapitan, is to give priority to and assist OFWs and seafarers in being vaccinated while working abroad.

“Our local government wishes to assist our citizens who will be working in other countries. Apart from the requirement that they be immunized, it is vital that they have viral protection,” he explained.

Caloocan City Government launches its vaccination sites

for OFWs and Seafarers

33TINIG NG MARINO32


ARVEN BARBECHOHello po sa Ramirez family. Maraming salamat po sa inyo sa walang kupas na pagtulong sa mga marino na nahihirapang mag-

apply.Sa pag-volunteer cadet namin sa inyo ay malaking tulong po dahil marami po akong natutunan sa inyo lalung-lalo na ang

tamang diskarte sa buhay. Di ko po kayo makakalimutan, Sir.

JOHN GALLARDOUnang una po sa lahat Nagpapasalamat po ako sa panginoon na gnamit nya ang isang tao na handang tumulong sa mga kadeteng kagaya ko na walang kompanya walang iba kundi si ENGR. Nelson Patrimonio Ramirez , Nang dahil sa kanya

daming kupong natutunan aral at nagkaroon ako ng magandang kompanya at ng marami pang iba na kagaya kong kadeteng nangangarap makapagbarko. Mabuhay ka Sir at sana humaba pa ang buhay mo at ng pamilya mo para makatulong sa katulad

nming mga kadete.#UFSBOYS

#accountingdepartment

ED MONDTaos puso akong nagpapasalamat sa

United Filipino Seafarer na naging daan sa pangarap ko laking pasasalamat sa taong tumulong nagbigay ng pangaral

at kaalaman sa amin kay Engr.Ramirez na handang tumulong sa mga marino at sa mga kadeteng walang kompanya,

maraming salamat sa mga kaibigan na sumuporta at naging katuwang sa

lungkot at kasiyahan, sa pamilya namin na andyan palagi at pati nadin sa poong maykapal na ginabayan kame at nilayo sa kapahamakan at sa sakit.Maraming

salamat po.UFS BOYS

TINIG DEPARTMENT

SHERVIN DIMARANAN

�ankyou, Sir Nelson Ramirez sa paggabay at

walang sawang pagtulong sa aming mga kadete

para makamit ang aming mga pangarap. Hindi ko makakalimutan ang mga pangaral mo sakin. Sana marami pang kadeteng

tulad ko ang matulungan niyo. Maraming salamat

sa Ramirez family.

Ps: sa mga kadete na nangangarap magkaroon ng magandang kompanya

nandito lang si Engr. Nelson Ramirez at ang

United Filipino Seafarers na handang tumulong.

#LIAISON_DEPARTMENT

#UNITED FILIFINO SEAFARERS

#UFSBOYSBATCH2021

33TINIG NG MARINO32


By: Ejay Nieva

A CARGO vessel capsized in a port in northern Japan, then broke in two and began spilling oil.

Fortunately, none of the 21 crew members were in-jured, and the oil spill was un-der control with no evidence of reaching the shoreline, ac-cording to the Japan Coast Guard.

�e “Crimson Polaris,” a 39,910-tonne Panamani-an-�agged tanker hauling wood chips, ran aground in Hachinohe harbor. It was able to break loose, but due to in-clement weather, it could not travel far and eventually end up docking approximately 4 kilometers (2.4 miles) from the harbor.

Later in the day, an oil slick 5.1 km long and about 1 km wide was apparent, al-though patrol boats were tak-

ing restraining efforts.The vessel’s two halves have not moved and are being constant-ly observed by patrol boats,

with no dramatic changes in its position as of the late af-ternoon, according to a Coast Guard spokesman.

Panamanian-vessel splits in two; leaving 5km oil spill in Japan

35TINIG NG MARINO34


Mabuhay ka at maraming salamat Engr. Nelson Ramirez sa walang humpay na serbisyo para sa marinong Pilipino.

Greetings from:MV ECO SPITFIRE

BATCH 1 Circa 2021C/E Rodolfo B. Ferrer Jr.Andrio Bogayan Cano

Proud member of UFS boys batch 2013. God bless UFS family

By: Ejay Nieva

THE Taliban’s invasion of land-locked Afghanistan is bound to a�ect Central Asian shipping patterns. Afghanistan had pre-viously collaborated on the de-velopment of Chabahar Port in Iran’s east alongside India and Iran.

�e port, which has been in the works for the longest time, has been viewed as a feasible alternative to Chinese-backed dock projects in Pakistan. How-ever, now that the Taliban has retaken power in Afghanistan, Afghan exports and imports are much more likely to pass via Ka-rachi.

Central Asian transport

Shipping Patterns in Afghanistan expected to change following Taliban takeover

(Image source: China Ministry of Foreign A�airs)

specialists will be watch-ing China’s interactions with Afghanistan and its current government in-tently. �e country’s ad-vantageous placement at a crossroads might make it a key link in Beijing’s One Belt, One Road strat-egy.

“It will be intriguing since China appears to be inclined to recognize the Taliban. Because the two countries share a border, it allows China an alter-nate path to the Indian Ocean. Still, it won’t make Pakistan hap-py,” said Andre Wheeler, a Splash

columnist and ardent follower of China’s Belt and Road Initiative.

Insurgents from the Taliban seized Kabul, Afghanistan’s cap-

ital, over the weekend, and Pres-ident Ashraf Ghani �ed the state on Sunday.

2/E Mark Nestle M. Sorronda3/E James E. Billeta

4/E Jo�or O. MangsatElect. Ernie S. Corder

Ftr. Norman A. AlvarezOlr. Elvin C. Castillo

Olr. Carlo C. Mariano Jr.Olr. Carlito L. Tano

35TINIG NG MARINO34


TINIG NG MARINO36


28 August 2021NPR VISITED ADM. MEDINA TO CLARIFY SOME ISSUES ON REFRESHER COURSE

18 August 2021Engr. Ramirez visited Adm. Bob Empedrad and

Adm. Rene Medina

10 JULY 2021ANG TATLONG ACCREDITED FIXERS NG MARINAAdm. Robert Empedrad, NPR and Adm. Rene MedinaIlalabas na ang isang Memorandum Circular na hindi na kailan-gan ng liaison o�cer ng manning agency para sa expedite pro-cessing ng dokumento ng marino. Maaaring na ang marino na lang ang maglalakad para sa expedite.

10 JULY 2021PALAKASIN AT PARAMIHIN ANG MGA BARKO NA NAGWAWAGAYWAY NG BANDERA NG PILIPINAS...With Adm. Empedrad, Adm. Medina, MARINA legal o�cers and the sta� of Sen. Bong Go on the EXPANSION OF THE PHILIPPINE REGISTERED VESSELS..

TINIG NG MARINO36


Alam ba ninyo na ang dating validation ng seaman’s book ay tatlong taon lang?Bago pa lang natatag ang United Filipino Seafarers noong December 12, 1994 isinulo-

ng ni Engr. Nelson Ramirez na ang validation ng Seafarer’s Service Record Book ay maging limang taon. Noong una, ang validation ng SSRB ay tatlong taon lamang.

Ang kauna-unahang SSRB na may validation na limang taon ay iginawad kay Engr. Nelson Ramirez ngunit hindi niya ito napakinabangan sapagkat mula noon ay ipinagpatuloy na niya ang pakikibaka para sa karapatan ng mga marino.

Pre-Employment, Seafarers’ Rights and Values Formation SeminarAng dahilan kung bakit kakaunti ang mga biktima ng illegal recruitment sa sektor ng

maritima ay dahil ang mga bagong applikante gaya ng mga bagong gradweyt ng maritima ay mas alam ang kanilang mga karapatan kumpara sa mga nakabase sa lupa at hindi sila madaling maengganyo ng mga naglipanang buwitre.Sina Father Carlos Oda, Sister Maruja Padre de Juan ng Apostleship of the sea, at si Engr. Nelson Ramirez, presidente ng United Filipino Seafarers ay nagsagawa ng kauna-unahang pre-employment orientation seminars sa mga maritime schools sa buong bansa. Kabilang sa mga paksang tinalakay ay Situation of Filipino Seafarers all over the Globe; Para-legal Advices; Prevention of Drug and Alcohol Abuse; Prevention of Sexually-Transmitted Diseases; and Moral and Spiritual Values Forma-tion. Liban sa pre-employment orientation seminar sa mga maritime schools, mayroon ding pitong programa sa radyo ang UFS noon at ang maritime newspaper na Tinig ng Marino na naghahatid ng mga makabagong pag-unlad at mga isyu sa pandaigdigang industriya ng pandaragat.

Noong araw ay hindi malinaw kung anong ahensya ng gobyerno ang dapat mag isyu ng Certi�catre of Competency(COC) at Certi�cate of Endorsement(COE) sa mga marinong Pilpino, na napakahalagang bagay upang makasali ang Pilipinas sa IMO ‘white list’.

Si Engr. Nelson Ramirez ng United Filipino Seafarers(UFS) ay kumunsulta sa mga maritime stakeholders at kalaunan magkasama sila na gumawa ng isang panukalang batas at isinulong nila ito sa kongreso at senado.

Ito ang Philippine Merchant Marine Act of 1998 o Republic Act 8544. Ang batas na ito ang nagtalaga sa Professional Regulation Commission(PRC) na mangassiwa sa licensure examina-tion at magbigay ng Certi�cate of Competency ( COC) at Certi�cate of Endoresement ( COE).

Ito ang naging daan upang makapasok ang Pilipinas sa tinatawag na IMO “ WHITE LIST “.

BAKIT HINDI NA NAGBABAYAD ANG MGA OFWs NG INCOME TAX? Ang United Filipino Seafar-

ers(UFS) ay ang kaisa-isang organis-asyon ng mga marino na nakilahok sa mga consultation hearings ng Presi-dential Fact-Finding And Policy Ad-visory Commission On �e Protection of Overseas Filipinos na tinatawag din na “ Gancayco Commission” na nan-gasiwa sa pagusisa sa mga problema ng mga Filipino na nagtatrabaho sa ibay-ong dagat.

Isinulong ng United Filipino Seafarers sa Gancayco Commission na bigyan ng TAX EXEMPTION ang mga OFWs bilang pagkilala sa hirap na kanilang dinanas sa paghahanapbuhay sa ibayong dagat at naging malayo sa kanilang mga mahal sa buhay. Ang ating mga OFWs ay tinatawag din economic warriors sapagkat malaki ang kanilang naiambag sa paglago ng ekonomiya ng ating bansa sa pamamagitan ng kanilang remittance.

Ang Gancayco Commission din din ang nagsulong na ang ating mga OFWs ay hindi na nagbabayad ng travel tax at NAIA Airport Terminal Fee.

Alam ba ninyo na sa 42 ka propesyon sa ilalim ng Professional Regulation Commission ang mga marino lang ang bukod tanging may WALK IN EXAMINATION SYSTEM?

Pagkatapos ng matagump-ay na KILOS PROTESTA labang sa mababang passing percent-age, sinundan ng United Filipino Seafarers ang naunang KILOS

PROTESTA sa Professional Regulation Commission at ang kahilingan noon ng UFS ay ma-bigyan ng WALK IN EXAMINATION ang mga marino.

Hindi naging madali ang pakikibakang ito at umabot pa ito ng ilang taon bago nagka-roon ng katuparan sapagkat sa loob ng 42 ka propesyon na nasa ilalim ng PRC ang mga ma-rino lang ang bukod tanging nagkaroon ng computer assisted WALK IN EXAMINATION hanggang ngayon.

ANG LABAN SA MANAGEMENT LEVEL COURSEAng huling rally ng

United Filipino Seafarers sa Professional Regulation Commission ay tungkol sa kontrobersyal na MANAGE-MENT LEVEL COURSE hanggang sa dinala natin ang labang ito sa senado.

Balak sana nilang gaw-in noon na ISANG TAON ang MANAGEMENT LEV-EL COURSE. Hanggang sa binaba nila ng ANIM NA BUWAN. Hindi pumayag ang UFS at sa laban namin sa senado napilitan ang PRC na ang Management Level Course sa kubyerta ay isang buwan at kalahati at sa makina ay isang bu-wan at tatlong linggo. Kasabay doon hinirit ko ang TWO LEVEL EXAMINATION.

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Son asking father: What is the di�erence between rape, ro-mance, and marriage?

Father replies, "Clothes, my son, clothes. It's all about clothes."

Totally puzzled, son asks, "what?"

Father: "In rape, you tear the clothes. In romance, you remove the clothes. In marriage, you wash the clothes"

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A woman who is 3 months pregnant falls into a deep coma. Six months later, she awakes and asks the doctor about her baby.

Doctor: You had twins, a boy and a girl, and they are both �ne. Luckily, your brother named them for you.

Woman: Oh no, not my brother! He's an idiot! What did he name the girl?

Doctor: Denise.Woman: Well, it isn't so bad, and what did he call the boy?

Doctor: Denephew

Interviewer: So are you ready for the interview?Applicant: Yes, I am ready.Interviewer: What is your edge among other applicants?Applicant: My edge is 19 years old sir.

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maritime boards to be revamped - tinigngmarino.ph

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