PSAP-PAROLA.ORG | Philippine Seafarers Assistance Programme

JAY L. BATONGBACAL, LLM
Philippine Center for Maritime Affairs

Compliance with STCW-95 was an agonizingly protracted issue in the Philippines some years ago on account of many questions regarding its implementation by the Government, notably the roles and responsibilities of the country’s maritime administrative agencies and mechanisms. After having satisfactorily addressed the concerns of the international community, attention is now being drawn to the internal impact of the Convention on the stakeholders with whom it is directly concerned: the seafarers. With STCW implementation in full-swing, Filipino seafarers have found that while compliance with the Convention unyieldingly requires improvement of competencies, it has come at an unforeseen price on their welfare and well-being. This paper explores the mechanics of the Philippines’ implementation of the STCW-95, reveals some of the unintended negative consequences of STCW compliance on the Filipino seafarer, and contemplates its future cumulative impacts. Recommendations are also made regarding how to best address the issues that are uncovered, in the hope that remedial measures may be taken as soon as possible.