REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. D465 _

Introduced by MAGDALO Party-List Representative
HON. GARY C. ALEJANO

EXPLANATORY NOTE

During the last two decades, the rapid development of the marine profession as well as the
‘marine industry, both in the academic and technological aspects, has made the requirements
of future marine officers, per P.D. No. 97, quite obsolete. The advances in the international
field have been more phenomenal among the Western countries who are members of the
International Marine Organization (IMO), with the Philippines lagging behind.

Of utmost concem to the country is the state of affairs of its domestic or coastwise shipping
industry where there are numerous vessels with lower than 200 gross tons capacity that are
manned by unqualified seafarers. Based from the reports of sea disasters, these accidents may
just have been due to human errors/negligence, which is primarily due to the lack of sound
‘and solid education on the field despite the years of actual sailing.

‘The age of computerization and automation only heightens the problem. Procedures and
equipment of modern merchant vessels have not only increased in complexities but have been
constantly improving by the adoption of new developments in science and technology further
promoting efficiency and safety of operations. We cannot be caught flat-footed. We,
therefore, have to upgrade not just the techniques, but most of all, the basic academic and
hands-on experience qualifications.

Stiffer competition with our Asian neighbors and Eastern European countries only
emphasizes our lack of these essential pre-requisites. For this reason, we need to use our
naval vessels when they are not engaged in emergencies for the training of our future deck
officer, engineers and crewmen apart from the traditional vessels that lend them
apprenticeship training.

In view of the foregoing, the immediate approval of this bill is earnestly sought.

IC. ALEJANO


REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

5465

Introduced by MAGDALO Party-List Representative
HON. GARY C. ALEJANO

House Bill No.

AN ACT.
AMENDING CERTAIN SECTIONS OF PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NUMBERED
NINETY-SEVEN, AS AMENDED, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS "THE MERCHANT
RINE OFFICERS LAW"

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Section 15 of the Presidential Decree Numbered Ninety-Seven, as
amended, otherwise known as the Philippine Merchant Marine Officers Law is hereby
amended to read as follows:

"Sec. 15. Admission Requirements for Examination. - No person shall

be qualified for examination as a marine officer unless he/she is:

"{ (a) male; |

"[ (b) | (A) Citizen of the Philippines;

"{ (c) | (B) At least twenty-one years of age;

"| (@) | (C) Mentally-sound and physically fit with normal vision perception,

as certified by a competent physician; and

"{ (e) | (D) Of good moral character."

SECTION 2. Paragraphs (d), (e) and (f) of Section 16 of the Decree are hereby
amended as follows:
"SEC. 16, Requirements of Deck Officers. —
A rial
"(d) Third Mate. - Applicant must be a holder of a degree of Bachelor
of Science in Marine Transportation, major in Navigation and Seamanship,
after completion of a nautical curriculum of academic and theoretical studies,
and twelve months of practical apprenticeship which must be served on
[merchant marine] BOARD SEAGOING VESSELS of not less than two
hundred [fifty] gross tons registered for foreign or coastwise trade to qualify
for third mate license. A LOGBOOK SHALL HAVE BEEN
ACCOMPLISHED AND [the] certification of service issued by the Master
and Chief Mate of the vessel. The apprenticeship shall be under the
supervision of a permanent staff of the institution assigned solely for such
purpose.
*(e) Major Patron - An applicant for Patron in major coastwise trade
shall be at least twenty-[five] ONE years of age and shall produce a certificate
showing that he/she has COMPLETED TWO YEARS IN NAUTICAL


BIRRRES

SCIENCE or its equivalent in an officially recognized school and he/SHE has
navigated on a coastwise or a [high sea] SEA-GOING vessel as boatswain,
quartermaster, [sailor] ABLE SEAMAN or apprentice mate [on a merchant
marine vessel] of not less than two hundred [fifty] gross tons for a period of at
least [ten] TWO (2) years [or that he has navigated as minor patron for at least
five years]

"(f) Minor Patron - An applicant for certificate for patron in [the]
Minor coastwise trade shall not be less than twenty-[five] ONE years of age
and shall produce satisfactory evidence showing that he/SHE has passed [high
school] THE ONE YEAR BASIC MERCHANT SEAMAN'S COURSE of
its equivalent in an officially-recognized school and that he has [navigated]
SERVED AS APPRENTICE OR SEAMEN FOR ONE YEAR ON
BOARD a coastwise vessel of NOT LESS than thirty (30) gross tons [of over
a period of not less than five years] AND ONE (1) YEAR ON BOARD
COASTWISE VESSEL OF NOT LESS THAN ONE HUNDRED GROSS
TONS as boatswain, quartermaster, [or sailor] ABLE SEAMAN."

SEC. 3. Paragraphs (d) and (e) of Section 17 of the same Decree are hereby amended
to read as follows:

"SEC. 17. Engine Officers. —
x ox ox

"(d) Fourth Marine Engineer. - An applicant must be at least a [second
year high school] GRADUATE OF THE FOUR-YEAR BACHELOR OF
SCIENCE IN MARINE ENGINEERING IN A SCHOOL recognized by
the government, having served for at least SIX MONTHS as apprentice IN A
SHIPYARD AND SIX MONTHS AND/OR ONE YEAR CONTINIOUS
ON BOARD VESSEL AS APPRENTICE, engineer, oiler, or machinist on
vessels propelled by motor or steam engineers of not less than two hundred
fifly BHP [Under this category, he must pass through a review class before
admitted to take examinations]: Provided, however, That [if the applicant is a
‘marine engineer graduate, of a recognized school, he must have at least served
two years as apprentice engineer, oiler, or machinist: Provided, further, That a
certificate of service is issued] AN ENGINEER MUST BE
ACCOMPLISHED AND DULY SIGNED by the Chief Engineer and
Master of the vessel and duly authenticated by the ship owner or by the ship
representative of the vessel.

"(e) Motor Engineer. - An applicant shall be at least twenty-one years
of age, a graduate [of elementary school] IN ASSOCIATE IN MARINE
ENGINEERING OR ITS EQUIVALENT RECOGNIZED BY THE
GOVERNMENT, and shall produce satisfactory evidence showing that he
has served as APPRENTICE ENGINEER, WIPER, oiler, machinist or
apprentice motor engineer FOR SIX MONTHS IN A SHIPYARD AND SIX
MONTHS ON BOARD A motor vessel OR CRAFT PROPELLED [for at
least five years) WITH NOT LESS THAN TWO HUNDRED FIFTY BHP
OR ONE YEAR OF CONTINOUS SERVICE."

SEC. 4. This shall take effect afier fificen (15) days from its publication in two (2) national
newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,