SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
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REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES) 
First Rcguiar Session 
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SENATE 
S.NO. 898 
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JUL 1 8 I' 1 :; 1 
Introduced 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, has made the requirements of 
future marine officers per P.D. No. 97 quite obsolete. The advances in the international field 
hone h~~n ~o'e nl1£>nru'V'Ionnl <)1'\-"\nnn- +h~ \Xloc<t""rn r>A""'+1"'ia.C" nrhro. n .. o"o ..... "" ....... h"" .. c- I"vf'+'hc> T"'t"" ........ ..,.i-.;A"',..,l 
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Maritime Organization (rMO), with the Philippines lagging behind. 
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, 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 aU, 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, therefore, is earnestly urged. 
--Jl:-- ( 
r IL-
"SON~RILLANES IV 
Senator 


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SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
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REP(JBLlC OF THE PHILIPPINES) 
First Reguia!' Sessiou 
) 
SENATE 
S. NO. 898 
'13 
JUL 1 H f) 1 :] 1 
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IntI'oduced by Senator Antonio "Sonny" F. Trillanes IV 
AN ACT 
AMENDING CERTAIN SECTIONS OF PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NUMBERED 
NINETY-SEVEN, AS AMENDED, OTHERWISE K~OWN AS "THE MERCHANT 
MARINE OFFICERS LAW" 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House olRepresentatives of the Philippines In Congress 
assembled.' 
SECTION 1. Section 15 of the Presidential Decree Numbered NinetY-Seven, as 
amended, otherwise known as the Phiiippine Merchant Marine Officers Law is hereby amended 
to read as follows: 
"Sec, j 5, AdnusslOn ReqUirements lor ExammatlOn. - No person shaH be quaiified for 
examination as a marine officer unless he/she is: 
"[ Ca) maie; ] 
"[ (b) 1 (A) Citizen of the Philippines; 
"[ (c)] (B) At ieasttwenty-one years of age; 
"[ (d) 1 (C) Mentally-sound and physically fit with normal vision perception, as certified 
by a competent physician; and 
"[ (e) J (D) Of good moral character." 
SECTION 2, Paragraphs (d), (e) and (I) of Section 16 of the Decree are hereby amended 
as follows: 
"SEC. 16, Requirements of Deck Officers, -


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x 
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x 
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"(d) third Mate. - applicant must be a holder of a degree of Bachelor of 
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Science in Marine Transportation, major in Navigation and Seamanship, after 
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completion of a nautical curriculum of academic and theoretical studies, and 
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twelve months of practical apprenticeship which must be served on [merchant 
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marine] BOARD SEAGOING VESSELS of not less than two hundred [fifty] 
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gross tons registered for foreign or coastwise trade to qualify for third mate 
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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 
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apprenticeship shall be under the supervision of a permanent staff of the 
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institution assigned so lely for such purpose. 
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"(e) Major Patron - An applicant for Patron in major coastwise trade shall 
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be at least twenty-five ONE years of age and shall produce a certificate showing 
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that he/she has COMPLETED TWO YEARS IN NAUTICAL SCIENCE or its 
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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, 
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[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) 
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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 
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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 Of its equivalent in an 
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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 
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of NOT LESS than thirty (30) gross tons [Of over a period of not less than five 
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years] AND ONE (1) YEAR ON BOARD COASTWISE VESSEL OF NOT 
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LESS THAN ONE HUNDRED GROSS TONS as boatswain, quartermaster, [or 
sailor] ABLE SEAMAN." 
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SEC. 3. Paragraphs (d) and (e) of Section 17 of the same Decree are hereby 
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amended to read as follows: 
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"SEC. 17. Engine Officers. -
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x 
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"(d) Fourth Marine Engineer. - An applicant must be at least a 
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[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 
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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 
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BOARD VESSEL AS APPRENTICE, engineer, oiler, or machinist on vessels 
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propelled by motor or steam engineers of not less than two hundred fifty BHP [. 
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Under this category, he must pass through a review class before admitted to take 
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examinations]: Provided, however, That [if the applicant is a marine engineer 
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graduate, of a recognized school, he must have at least served two years as 
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apprentice engineer, oiler, or machinist: Provided, further, That a certificate of 
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service is issued] AN ENGINEER MUST BE ACCOMPLISHED AND DULY 
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SIGNED by the Chief Engineer and Master of the vessel and duly authenticated 
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by the ship owner or by the ship representative ofthe vessel. 
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"(e) Motor Engineer. - An applicant shall be at least twenty-one 
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years of age, a graduate [of elementary school] IN ASSOCIATE IN MARINE 
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ENGINEERING 
OR 
ITS 
EQUIVALENT 
RECOGNIZED 
BY 
THE 
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GOVERNMENT, and shall produce satisfactory evidence showing that he has 
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served as APPRENTICE ENGINEER, WIPER, oiler, machinist or apprentice 
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motor engineer FOR SIX MONTHS IN A SHIPYARD AND SIX MONTHS ON 
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BOARD A motor vessel OR CRAFT PROPELLED [for at least five years] 
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WITH NOT LESS THAN TWO HUNDRED FIFTY BHP OR ONE YEAR OF 
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CONTINOUS SERVICE." 
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SEC. 4. This Act shall take effect upon its approval. 
Approved, 
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