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FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Sessiou 
) 
SENATE 
Iutroduced by Senator Antonio "Sonny" F. Trillanes IV 
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, have 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 ofthe International 
Maritime Organization (IMO) with the Philippines lagging behind. 
Procedures and equipments 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. 
Of utmost concern 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. This 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. 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 essentials 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. 
Approval of the bill is, therefore, earnestly urged. 
1 


FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
Introduced by Senator Antonio "Sonny" F. Trillanes IV 
AN ACT 
AMENDING CERTAIN SECTIONS OF PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NUMBERED 
NINETY-SEVEN, AS AMENDED, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS "THE PHILIPPINE 
MERCHANT MARINE OFFICERS LAW" 
Be in enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
1 
SECTION 1. Section 15 of the Presidential Decree Numbered Ninety-Seven, as 
2 
amended, otherwise known as the Philippine Merchant Marine Officers Law is hereby 
3 
amended to read as follows: 
4 
"Sec. 15. Admission Requirements for Examination. - No person shall be 
5 
qualified for examination as a marine officer unless he/she is: 
6 
"[ (a) male; 1 
7 
"[ (b) 1 (A) 
Citizen of the Philippines; 
8 
"[ (c) 1 (B) 
At least twenty-one years of age; 
9 
"[ (d) 1 (C) 
Mentally-sound and physicaliy fit with normal vision 
10 
perception, as certified by a competent physician; and 
11 
"[ (e) 1 (D) 
Of good moral character." 
12 
13 
SEC. 2. Paragraphs (d), (e) and (f) of Section 16 of the same Decree are hereby 
14 
amended as follows: 
15 
"SEC. 16. Requirements of Deck Officers. -
1 


1 
x 
x 
x 
2 
"(d) third Mate. - applicant must be a holder of a degree of Bachelor of 
3 
Science in Marine Transportation, major in Navigation and Seamanship, after 
4 
completion of a nautical curriculum of academic and theoretical studies, and 
5 
twelve months 0 f practical apprenticeship which must be served on [merchant 
6 
marine] BOARD SEAGOING VESSELS of not less than two hundred [fifty] 
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gross tons registered for foreign or coastwise trade to quality for third mate 
8 
license. A LOGBOOK SHALL HAVE BEEN ACCOMPLISHED AND [the] 
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certification of service issued by the Master and Chief Mate of the vessel. The 
10 
apprenticeship shall be under the supervision of a permanent staff of the 
11 
institution assigned solely for such purpose. 
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"(e) Major Patron - An applicant for Patron in major coastwise trade shall 
13 
be at least twenty-five ONE years of age and shall produce a certificate showing 
14 
that he/she has COMPLETED TWO YEARS IN NAUTICAL SCIENCE or its 
15 
equivalent in an officially recognized school and he/SHE has navigated on a 
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coastwise or a [high sea] SEA-GOING vessel as boatswain, quartermaster, 
17 
[sailor] ABLE SEAMAN or apprentice mate [on a merchant marine vessel] of not 
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less than tow hundred [fifty] gross tons for a period of at least [ten] TWO (2) 
19 
years [ or that he has navigated as minor patron for at least five years]. 
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"(f) Minor Patron - An applicant for certificate for patron in [the] Minor 
21 
coastwise trade shall not less than twenty-five ONE years of age and shall 
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produce satisfactory evidence showing that he/SHE has passe [high school] THE 
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ONE YEAR BASIC MERCHANT SEAMAN'S COURSE or its equivalent in an 
24 
officially-recognized school and that he has [navigated] SERVED AS 
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APPRENTICE OR SEAMEN FOR ONE YEAR ON BOARD a coastwise vessel 
26 
of NOT LESS than thirty (30) gross tons [or over a period of not less than five 
27 
years] AND ONE (I) YEAR ON BOARD COASTWISE VESSEL OF NOT 
2 


, . 
1 
2 
3 
LESS THAN ONE HUNDRED GROSS TONS as boatswain, quartermaster, [or 
sailor] ABLE SEAMAN," 
4 
SEC. 3. Paragraphs (d) and (e) of Section 17 of the same Decree are hereby 
5 
amended to read as foJlows: 
6 
"SEC. 17. Engine Officers, -
7 
x 
x 
x 
8 
"(d) Fourth Marine Engineer. - An applicant must be at least a 
9 
[second year high school] GRADUATE OF THE FOUR-YEAR BACHELOR OF 
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SCIENCE IN MARINE ENGINEERING IN A SCHOOL recognized by the 
11 
government, having served for at least SIX MONTHS as apprentice IN A 
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SHIPYARD AND SIX MONTHS AND/OR ONE YEAR CONTINIOUS ON 
13 
BOARD VESSEL AS APPRENTICE, engineer, oiler, or machinist on vessels 
14 
propelled by motor or steam engineers of not less than two hundred fifty BHP [. 
15 
Under this category, he must pass through a review class before admitted to take 
16 
examinations]: Provided, however, That [if the applicant is a marine engineer 
17 
graduate, of a recognized school, he must have at least served two years as 
18 
apprentice engineer, oiler, or machinist: Provided. further, That a certificate of 
19 
service is issued] AN ENGINEER MUST BE ACCOMPLISHED AND DULY 
20 
SIGNED by the Chief Engineer and Master of the vessel and duly authenticated 
21 
by the ship owner or by the ship representative ofthe vessel. 
22 
"(e) Motor Engineer. - An applicant shall be at least twenty-one 
23 
years of age, a graduate [of elementary school] IN ASSOCIATE IN MARINE 
24 
25 
26 
27 
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 
3 


1 
BOARD A motor vessel OR CRAFT PROPELLED [for at least five years] 
2 
WITH NOT LESS THAN TWO HUNDRED FIFTY BHP OR ONE YEAR OF 
3 
CONTINOUS SERVICE." 
4 
5 
SEC. 4. This Act shall take effect upon its approval. 
Approved, 
4