Shortage of Filipino marine officers felt in Japan

Shipowners in Japan expressed concern about the felt shortage of Filipino marine officers, especially at the management level, according to news from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

Labor attaché Clifford Paragua of the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) in Tokyo mentioned this concern in his report to labor chief Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz who is in Japan for an International Labor Organization (ILO) event.

As a way of addressing the problem, Paragua suggested the possibility for the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) to consider a single-level examination system that strictly adheres to the training and assessment requirements for management level officers under the Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) Convention, as amended.

He also said that Japanese shipowners continue to express confidence in the skills and competence of Filipino marine officers and ratings who compose some 70% of all seafarers on board Japanese vessels.

Image taken from Microsoft Office website.