Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

(House Bil No. 239

Introduced by Honorable Roilo Golez

EXPLANATORY NOTE

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

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.

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 or 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 literally. We therefore have to upgrade not just the techniques, but most of all, the basic academic
and hands-on exoerience qualifications.

We sorely need bottoms to accommodate apprentice cadets who will become our future officers,
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.

Approval ofthe bills, therefore, earnestly urged ¥

\

\ row GOLEZ



Republic ofthe Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No.

Introduced by Honorable Roilo Golez

AN ACT
AMENDING CERTAIN SECTIONS OF THE PHILIPPINE MERCHANT MARINE OFFICERS LAW

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

SECTION 1 Section 15 of 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) 1 (A) Citizen of the Philippines;
"[(0)](B) Atleast twenty-one years of age;

"[@1(C) Mentally sound and physically fit with normal color vision perception, as
certified by a competent government physician; and

"[(e)](0) Of good moral character. "

SEC. 2, Paragraphs (d), (e) and (f) of Section 16 of the same Decree are hereby amended
as follows:

"SEC. 16. Requirements of Deck Officers. -
x x x

 (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 and duly authenticated by the ship owner or by the representative of the
vessel. The apprenticeship shall be under the supervision of a permanent staff of the institution
assigned solely for such purpose.

"(@)__ 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 SCIENCE or its equivalent in an officially recognized
school and helSHE 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] ross tons for a period of at least [ten] TWO (2) years [
or that he has navigated as minor patron for at least five years}

*() 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 or 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 {or 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
tead as follows:

"SEC. 17. Engine Officers. -
x x x

“(@)__ Fourth Marine Engineer. - An applicant must be at least a [second year
high school] GRADUATE OF THE FOUR-YEAR BACHELR 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 engines of not less than two hundred fifty 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 ENGINE LOGBOOK 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
Tepresentative 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 Act shall take effect upon its approval

Approved,