THE Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has rejected a proposal to abolish the Maritime Training Council, asserting its position as the lead agency in ensuring Filipino seafarers’ compliance to international training standards. The move to abolish the interagency body was earlier proposed by the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC).

In a letter dated February 19, former labor secretary and now Supreme Court Justice Arturo D. Brion said  there is no reason to disturb the existence of the agency and that the DOLE has been recognized worldwide as the lead agency handling concerns for all overseas Filipino workers, seafarers included.

“A shift of the Philippine government’s focus from the status quo by giving the lead to another agency without substantial reasons may raise questions about the directions of the government’s contract migration policies,” said the letter, signed by Brion, the 12th Supreme Court Justice appointed by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

The letter was issued after the transport department submitted a document to the labor agency entitled “Institutionalizing the Maritime Industry Authority [Marina] as the Maritime Administration of the Philippines, Abolishing the Maritime Training Council.”

The labor department’s letter said that Marina, the country’s shipping- industry regulator, has no direct and significant links with the seafarers on- board foreign-flagged vessels since its duties only involve the safety and seaworthiness of foreign vessels when these dock at Philippine ports.

“Other than these, the link is essentially by way of overseas employment, a matter that historically has been with the DOLE and where DOLE has gained considerable expertise,” the letter said, adding that the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has already rejected the DOTC’s and Marina's proposal in the late 90s.

“The reason given [by IMO] was that DOTC/Marina do not have sufficient control of direct linkages with the agencies whose functions have sufficient control or direct linkages with the agencies whose functions are critical to the discharge and assessment of competence and oversight roles that MTC plays under the STCW [Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping] Convention,” the labor department said.

For their part, crewing agencies agreed with the labor department’s opinion, especially since they have forged several partnerships with the body for years.

Last week Eduardo U. Manese, president of the Philippine-Japan Manning Consultative Council and Magsaysay Maritime Corp. chairman, said Marina has no capacity to handle such concerns related to seafarers, and crewing agencies will have to start their relationship with the government from scratch once the DOTC proposal is approved.

“Why would you demolish a house when you can improve it? I hope the DOTC will not disturb the current situation,” Manese said.

In an earlier interview, Transport Undersecretary Maria Elena Bautista, who initiated the move, said she would stand by her initiatives.

“In a rationalized situation, an ad hoc agency such as the MTC should not be there. There’s no need for a coordinative body doing technical functions when you can strengthen the focus of each agency,” Bautista said.

According to her plan, Marina will only be tasked to coordinate with the IMO regarding seafaring administration, but technical functions will be retained by respective agencies.

The Commission on Higher Education (CHED), which allowed the MTC to accredit training centers for seafarers, will continue to have that mandate, but CHED’s and Marina’s seals will be used when Marina communicates with the IMO and other bodies.

Bautista’s proposal also involves the replacement of the MTC with a steering committee within the DOTC which will coordinate with several agencies.

The council, which sources its budget of P35 million a year from the Overseas Workers’ Welfare Administration (OWWA), was created in May 1984 by the Marcos regime to implement the IMO’s standards for seafarers as indicated in a 1978 convention. The MTC is headed by the DOLE secretary as chairman and members include the chiefs of CHED, OWWA, Marina, Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, Professional Regulation Commission, Philippine Coast Guard, Department of Foreign Affairs, Office of the President and private-sector representatives.

Maritime-council abolition gets rejected

THE Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has rejected a proposal to abolish the Maritime Training Council, asserting its position as the lead agency in ensuring Filipino seafarers’ compliance to international training standards.

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