MANILA, PHILIPPINES – With both parties prioritizing the country’s maritime education and training (MET), the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) and The Nautical Institute (NI) have joint forces to strengthen and “preserve highly-qualified human resources in the maritime industry through effective and quality MET,” by forging a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) last 18 November 2022.

The MoU was signed by heads of organizations – MARINA Administrator Atty. Hernani Fabia, and the NI Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Capt. John Lloyd, FNI.

In his remarks, the MARINA Administrator has reiterated the agency’s commitment “to further strengthen the position of the Philippines as the major provider in the maritime workforce globally, and to remain the seafarer of choice.”

Through the said MoU, the MARINA and local MET institutions will be provided by the NI with academic advice, and suggestions to improve its MET curricula for officers on board, as well as postgraduate curricula for shore-based maritime personnel; conduct of academic workshops to improve teaching methodology and contents of subjects included in the curricula; Support the professional development of seafarers, by mapping out Certificates of Competence to levels of professional membership and registration (up to Chartered Status).

“We look forward to the support of maritime stakeholders, like your organization, as we push forward with policy and institutional initiatives, especially the programs in our 10-year Maritime Industry Plan (MIDP). With your cooperation, we hope to accelerate the achievement of a nationally-integrated and globally competitive maritime industry through maritime education, innovation, technology, and sustainability,” the Administrator furthered.

The signed memorandum also paved way for the MARINA to have access to information that will support the professional development of seafarers; Counseling on accreditation of training programs to support the education of Filipino seafarers; as well as to support the recognition of seafarers through routes to registration.

The signing of the memorandum was made during the celebration of the Nautical Institute’s 50th founding anniversary, with the theme, “Maritime Leadership in the Changing World.”

Also present during the event were Nautical Institute-Philippines President VADM Eduardo Ma R Santos AFP (Ret), and MARINA Administrator Chief of Staff Atty. Jabeth Sena Jepath A Dacanay.

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