Lawmakers are pushing for the establishment of a state-run maritime college in Eastern Samar to address limited access to maritime education in Eastern Visayas.

The proposal, under House Bill No. 7693, seeks to create a College of Maritime Studies at the Eastern Samar State University campus in Guiuan.

The measure is authored by Eastern Samar Rep. Christopher Sheen Gonzales and 4Ps Party-list Rep. Marcelino Libanan.

Gonzales said the proposed college aims to provide more opportunities for students in rural areas to pursue maritime careers without leaving the region.

“We want to afford a greater number of high school graduates access to state-subsidized maritime education so that they can eventually secure high-paying careers at sea and achieve a higher standard of living for their families,” Gonzales said.

He noted that many aspiring maritime students are forced to enroll in schools in Metro Manila and Cebu City due to the lack of institutions in the region.

“Our aim is to significantly reduce geographic and financial barriers to maritime education,” he added.

The proposed college will offer Bachelor of Science in Maritime Transportation and Bachelor of Science in Marine Engineering programs aligned with international standards set by the International Maritime Organization.

Eastern Visayas currently has only one maritime institution, the Palompon Institute of Technology, which is among the top maritime schools in the country.

The Philippines remains one of the world’s leading suppliers of seafarers, with an estimated 490,000 Filipinos working on international vessels each year.