The Department of Labor and Employment yesterday announced that it will develop new courses for Filipino seafarers to ensure compliance to the Manila Amendments to the Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping Convention and Code adopted during the 2010 International Maritime Organization Diplomatic Conference in Manila.

DOLE Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz in a press release said that the Maritime Training Council, an attached agency of the DOLE, is spearheading the development of 11 courses in line with the Manila amendments of the STCW Convention and Code.

"The 11 courses being developed by MTC will give our Filipino seafarers the necessary training and certification to operate any modern, technologically advanced ships as stated in the Manila Amendments of the STCW Code and Convention," Baldoz said.

The labor and employment chief said that the MTC is now developing courses for the following: able seafarer deck; able seafarer engine; electro technical officer; electro technical rating; basic training for oil and chemical tanker cargo operations; advanced training for oil tanker cargo operations; advanced training for chemical tanker cargo operations; basic training for liquefied gas tanker operations; advanced training for liquefied gas tanker cargo operations; security awareness training; and training for seafarers with designated security duties.

"Within the year, the MTC plans to enter into an agreement with the National Maritime Polytechnic for the development of all training requirements of the STCW Manila Amendments," she added, saying this is necessary because the development of these courses will entail a lot of technical expertise.

The MTC intends to implement the Manila Amendments prior to its entry into force on January 1, 2012 and its full enforcement in January 2017, the DOLE press release said.*

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