PROVIDING THE INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE STANDARDS OF TRAINING, CERTIFICATION AND WATCHKEEPING FOR SEAFARERS IN THE PHILIPPINES

12.00

WHEREAS, the Philippines is an active member of the International Maritime
Organization (IMO) and thus, is in agreement with the standards on training,
certification and watchkeeping for seafarers (STCW Code) set during the 1978
IMO Convention, as amended in 1995;

WHEREAS, the STCW Code shall foster greater efficiency and promote the
development of the respective maritime industry of IMO member-countries;

WHEREAS, compliance by the Philippines with the STCW Code shall promote the
interest and welfare of the Filipino seafarers and ultimately, promote national
growth and development;

WHEREAS, there is a need to establish an institutional framework for the
administration of the STCW Code in the country to ensure the compliance by the
Filipino seafarers with the above standards.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FIDEL
V. RAMOS, President of the Republic of the
Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby order the
adoption of the herein institutional framework for the administration of the
STCW in the country.

Section 1. Lead Agency for STCW Administration. The Maritime
Industry Authority (MARINA) shall be the lead agency in the implementation or
the STCW Code in the country. As such, it shall ensure the compliance by all
Filipino seafarers with the standards set forth under the Code. Towards this,
MARINA shall prepare and submit to the Maritime Training Council, through the
STCW Executive Committee which is also created under this Order, an annual work
program for approval of the Council.

Section 2. Establishment of the STCW Executive Committee. The
Maritime Training Council shall create an STCW Executive Committee from among
its members, with the DOLE Secretary as Chairman, MARINA Administrator as
Vice-Chairman, and the Chairpersons of Commission of Higher Education (CHED)
and Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) and Philippine Coast Guard (PCG)
Commandant as regular members, to provide the overall policy and operational
directions in the administration of the STCW in the country.

As may be necessary, the Council
may expand the membership of the Committee to include the Department of Health;
Technical Education and Skills Development Authority; Philippine Overseas
Employment Administration; National Telecommunications Commission; Overseas
Workers Welfare Administration and concerned private sector representatives.

Section 3. Secretariat. The MARINA shall establish and head a
permanent Secretariat to provide technical and administrative support in the
implementation of the STCW Code in the country.

Section 4. Implementing Rules and Regulations.
The STCW Executive Committee shall immediately convene to prepare and approve
the Implementing Rules and Regulations for the effective implementation of this
Order.

Section 5. Frequency of Meetings. The above Executive Committee shall meet at least once every quarter
during which, MARINA shall submit a status report on the country’s compliance
with the STCW Code, and other agenda items which may be agreed upon by the
Executive Committee.

Section 6. Reports. The STCW Administrator, through the Executive Committee, shall
provide the President a quarterly report on the status of the country’s
compliance with the STCW.

Section 7. Funding. The budget for the administration of the STCW Code shall be sourced
from the budgetary outlay of the Council from the Welfare Fund created under
LOI 1694, as amended, subject to the accounting and auditing rules and
regulations.

Section 8. Effectivity. This order shall take effect immediately.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 30th day of January, in the Year of Our
Lord, Nineteen Hundred and Ninety-Seven.

(Sgd.) FIDEL
V. RAMOS
President of the Philippines

By the President:

(Sgd.) RUBEN D. TORRES
Executive Secretary

Normal
0

false
false
false

EN-US
X-NONE
X-NONE

MicrosoftInternetExplorer4

/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:”Table Normal”;
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:””;
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:”Calibri”,”sans-serif”;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:”Times New Roman”;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:”Times New Roman”;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}