Thumbs up for joint Marina-CHEd watch over maritime schools

ANICETO Bertiz 3rd of party list ACTS-OFW has backed the joint supervision established by two regulators over the quality of education programs for future ship

the global competitiveness of Filipino sailors in the years ahead.

“We support the combined efforts of the Maritime Industry Authority and the Commission on Higher Education to superintend the quality of the Bachelor of Science in Marine Transportation and the Bachelor of Science in Marine Engineering programs being supplied by maritime schools,” Bertiz said.

Graduates of the two marine education programs, once li-

- al watch, chief engineers, second engineering watch.

“We have to constantly upgrade the quality of the two education programs if we are to keep our competitive edge in the deploy-

global labor markets,” Bertiz said.

Bertiz said that the cash sent home by overseas Filipino sailors via banks is projected to top the $ 6- billion mark this year amid mounting deployment.

The enlistment of Filipino sailors is expected to increase along

the global economy continues to grow, according to Bertiz.

He said the number of Philippineeducated sailors and other staff deployed on foreign ocean- going vessels, including

casinos,

is

likely to surpass the 500,000-mark this year.

“This is also about ensuring that our domestic ships here at home are run by the best sailors that live up to the highest operating and safety standards,” the lawmaker said.

“We are after all an archipelago for the first time

safe inter-island shipping to move people and goods,” he added.