Due to its continued adherence to the Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping Convention, the Philippines remains on the Whitelist of the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

Being on the Whitelist means that the Philippines is continuously recognized by the IMO for its commitment to maintaining high standards in maritime education, training, and certification for seafarers.

Further, being included in the list also signifies that the seafarers trained and certified in the Philippines meet the rigorous international standards set forth by the IMO STCW Convention.

In 2022, the Philippines went through an independent evaluation in 2022.

Subsequently, the Philippines submitted information on measures taken to ensure compliance under regulation I/8 paragraph 3 of the 1978 STCW Convention.

The Report was reviewed by a panel of competent persons who reported their findings to the IMO Secretary-General, who in turn, reported to the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC).

The IMO Maritime Safety Committee, in its ongoing 108th, in consideration of MSC 108/WP.2 containing the Report of the Secretary-General to the MSC on the information communicated, confirmed that the Philippines has fully complied with the relevant provisions of the STCW Convention.

The updated IMO whitelist will be circulated to the Member States through the latest revision of MSC.1/Circ. 1164.

With this, Maritime Industry Authority administrator Sonia Malaluan has reassured maritime stakeholders of the agency’s steadfast dedication to fulfilling its obligations under the Convention.

“Our inclusion in this list displays our unwavering commitment not only to comply with the requirements of the STCW Convention but also to continuously improve our system. As one of the leading providers of seafarers globally, it is incumbent upon us to ensure that our maritime workforce is well-equipped and compliant with international regulations,” she said.

“We thank all Member States who continue to put their trust in our seafarers and we will reciprocate this by continuing to provide you and the global shipping industry with competent and qualified seafarers,” she further stated in a statement on Tuesday.