Philippines teams up with European Union to boost seafarers’ competencies and welfare

The governments of the Philippines and the European Union launched a Technical Assistance Project (TAP) to improve Filipino seafarers’ training, education, and working conditions in the country on Monday, 11th November. 

The project’s launch was timely, given how this year’s Seatrade Cruise Asia conference and the concurrent Crew Connect Global forum were scheduled to open on the evening of the same date.

Part of the EU-ASEAN Sustainable Connectivity Package (SCOPE), the initiative is funded by the European Commission which allocated a total of €4 million for it.

A significant initiative

Fotini Ioannidou, director for waterborne transport of the European Commission (EC), remarked: “The European Commission is delighted to support this significant project, further strengthening the Philippines’ education, training, and certification system for seafarers, and demonstrating the solid partnership between the Philippines and the European Union. The project will not only bring mutual benefits to both the Philippines and the EU but also contribute positively to the global shipping industry, recognising Filipino seafarers as a cornerstone of the maritime workforce worldwide.”

Ioannidou’s sentiments were echoed by EU ambassador to the Philippines Massimo Santoro and Philippine transportation secretary Jaime J Bautista.

Santoro said: “The European Union is partnering with the Philippines to improve and sustain the quality of the country’s system of maritime education, training and certification, and of recruitment and placement of seafarers for the benefit of its people, economy, and, ultimately also, of global trade.”

Bautista pointed out that his country recently signed into law the Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers which ensures the protection and benefits of our highly-skilled mariners. 

He said: “We most welcome the assistance of the European Union at strengthening the education, training and certification of our seafarers who remain the top choice as crew of the global shipping industry.”

A pillar of the national economy

The shipping sector is a key pillar of the Philippine economy, as it makes substantial contributions to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). 

In 2022, the industry directly accounted for 4 percent of the Philippines’ GDP, with seafarers’ remittances adding another 1.7 percent. 

With approximately 1.15 million seafarers currently practising, the Philippines is a leading supplier of maritime talent, providing approximately 25 percent of the global seafaring workforce.

However, seafarers need to have proper certification to be able to work worldwide. Over the next three years, the project will support the improvement of the training, certification, and wellbeing of Filipino seafarers so they can continue working internationally and under good labour conditions. 

Key Philippine institutions collaborating on this project include the Department of Transportation (DOTr), Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Maritime Higher Education Institutions, and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).