ADMINISTRATION OF PRACTICAL EXAMINATION/ASSESSMENT OF THE COMPETENCE OF MARINE ENGINEER OFFICERS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF PART A OF THE STCW CODE

WHEREAS, Republic Act No. 8544 known as the “Philippine Merchant
Marine Officers Act of 1998” requires compliance with the provisions of
the Watchkeeping (STCW) for Seafarers 1978, as amended in 1995, to which
the Philippines is a signatory.

WHEREAS, Part A of the STCW Code provides for the standards of
competence required to be demonstrated by candidates for the issuance
and revalidation of certificates of competency of marine officers
particularly the ability to undertake tasks, duties and responsibilities
of marine engineer officers of the operational level listed in Table
A-III/1 and of the management level listed in Table A-III/2 of the STCW
Code.

WHEREAS, in the Rules and Regulations Implementing R.A. No. 8544
known as the “Philippine Merchant Marine Officers Act of 1998”, adopted
by the Board of Marine Engineer Officers and approved by the Commission,
it is provided that “. . . not later than the January, 2001 Marine
Engineer Officers licensure examinations, the Board shall conduct the
Practical/Oral examinations for the assessment of the skills/competence
of marine engineer officers. As such, an examinee shall pass the
appropriate written technical examination in order to qualify him to
take the practical/oral examination.” (2nd Paragraph, Section 16,
Article V of Board Resolution No. 48, Series of 1999)

WHEREAS, the Board, in its meeting on 21 January 2000 expressed
their agreement to use simulators in the conduct of the practical
examination/assessment of marine engineer officers at the operational
and management levels to adopt and provide adequate safeguards to
protect the integrity of the practical examination/assessment.

WHEREFORE, the Board resolved as it hereby resolves to give the
practical examination/assessment as provided in Part A of the STCW Code
to assess the competence of every candidate for certification as marine
engineer officers at the operational and management levels in accordance
with the following rules and guidelines:

1.         Officers required to take the practical examination/assessment —
All marine engineer officers of the operational and management levels
shall be required to take the practical examination/assessment on
subjects where such examination/assessment with the use of simulators is
appropriate.

1.1  Officers qualified to take the practical
examination/assessment — Only officers who passed the written technical
examination of both the operational and management levels, i.e., who
obtained general average rating of at least seventy (70%) percent in all
the subjects of the written technical examination with no grade lower
than sixty (60%) percent in any subject shall be allowed to take the
practical examination/assessment.

1.2.         The Board, in coordination and with the assistance
of the Office of Licensure of the Commission, shall adopt procedures in
giving and conducting the practical examination/assessment. The
procedures should include systems and measures to protect and maintain
the integrity of the examination/assessment and its results.

1.3       The Office of Licensure shall assist the Board in
safeguarding the integrity of the practical examination/assessment of
marine engineer officers before, during, and after the
examination/assessment and shall adopt measures to attain this end.

2.         System of Grading — In accordance with the
provisions of the 2nd paragraph of Section 23, Article VI of Resolution
No. 48, Series of 1999 of the Board of Marine Engineer Officers, the
examinee’s passing weighted general average rating shall be at least
seventy (70%) percent which shall be computed as follows:

70% for the written technical examination; and

30% percent for the practical examination/assessment

2.1    To pass the licensure examination which consists of the
written technical examination and the practical examination/assessment,
the examinee must obtain a weighted general average rating of at least
seventy (70%) percent in the written technical examination and practical
examination/assessment with no grade lower than sixty (60%) percent in
any of the subjects/courses in the practical examination/assessment.

2.2    Removal Examination — An examinee whose weighted general
average rating both the written technical examination and in the
practical examination/assessment is seventy (70%) percent or more but
obtained a grade lower than sixty (60%) percent in any of the
subjects/courses in the practical examination/assessment, said examinee
must take the practical examination/assessment in the said subject/s. An
examinee who fails three (3) consecutive practical
examinations/assessments must retake the examination/assessment after
one (1) year from the last examination/assessment taken.

3.         The Board shall give/conduct the first practical
examination/assessment of marine engineer officers of both the
operational and management levels to those who will pass the written
technical examination to be given in July 2000.

This Resolution shall take effect after fifteen (15) days from its
publication in the Official Gazette or in any newspaper of general
circulation in the Philippines, whichever is earlier.

Adopted: 10 April 2000

(SGD.) C/E EUGENIO L. EBRO, JR. Chairman
(SGD.) C/E HONORIO D. CALICA Member	(SGD.) C/E CHRISTOPHER P. MAAMBONG Member
(SGD.) C/E RODELIO J. LAGAT Member	(SGD.) C/E ARTURO D. CARMEN Member
ATTESTED:
(SGD.) CARLOS G. ALMELOR Secretary, Professional Regulatory Boards
APPROVED:
(SGD.) HERMOGENES P. POBRE Commission Chairman
(SGD.) ALFONSO G. ABAD Associate Commissioner	(SGD.) AVELINA DE LA REA-TAN Associate Commissioner