MANILA – The Philippines has once again sustained its status as a major provider of Filipino seafarers as it continues to be included in the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) so called “White List”. The IMO White List serves as a roster of Parties that have been recognized for their commitment to maintaining high standards in maritime education, training, and certification for seafarers. Being included in the list also signifies that the seafarers trained and certified in the Philippines meet the rigorous international standards set forth by the IMO STCW Convention.
It is recalled that the Philippines underwent an independent evaluation on 2022. Subsequently, the Philippines submitted information on measures taken to ensure compliance pursuant to regulation I/8 paragraph 3 of the 1978 STCW Convention. The Report was reviewed by a panel of competent persons, who reported their findings to the IMO Secretary-General, who in turn, reported to the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC).
The IMO Maritime Safety Committee (MSC), in its ongoing 108th, in consideration of MSC 108/WP.2 containing the Report of the Secretary-General to the MSC on the information communicated, confirmed that the Philippines has fully complied with the relevant provisions of the STCW Convention. The updated IMO whitelist will be circulated to the Member States through the latest revision of MSC.1/Circ. 1164.
MARINA Administrator Sonia B. Malaluan has reassured maritime stakeholders of the agency’s steadfast dedication to fulfilling its obligations under the Convention. In a statement, she said that, “Our inclusion in this list displays our unwavering commitment not only to comply with the requirements of the STCW Convention but also to continuously improve our system. As one of the leading providers of seafarers globally, it is incumbent upon us to ensure that our maritime workforce is well-equipped and compliant with international regulations. We thank all Member States who continue to put their trust in our seafarers and we will reciprocate this by continuing to provide you and the global shipping industry with competent and qualified seafarers.”
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