PHL Remains in IMO White List

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The Philippines remains in full compliance with the International Convention on the Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW Convention), 1978, as amended, of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), as signified by the country’s continued inclusion in the “IMO White List.”

The so-called “White List” refers to a list of parties confirmed by the IMO Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) to have communicated information that demonstrates the full and complete effect that is given to the relevant provisions of the STCW.

The incontrovertible proof of this compliance is the MSC Circular (MSC.1/Circ.1163/Rev.11) published on 14 December 2018, which categorically includes the Philippines in the list of STCW-compliant parties.

In this regard, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) maintain that reports on the Philippines’ alleged exclusion from the IMO White List are without factual and sufficient basis.

We caution the public against efforts to generate undue panic to the country’s over 400,000 seafarers and their families.

Even as the Philippines’ inclusion in the White List is confirmed, the DOTr-MARINA continues to assure all stakeholders that it is exerting maximum efforts to maintain its status of compliance with IMO standards.

In fact, pursuant to its mandate, the MARINA will be attending the Sixth Session of IMO’s Sub-Committee on HTW on 29 April to 3 May 2019 in London, United Kingdom, as part of the Philippine delegation to bolster our position in the White List.

The DOTr-MARINA bears paramount pride in the world-class qualities of our maritime workforce, and will do its utmost to secure the viability of livelihood of our seafarers.

We remain positive in maintaining our seafarers’ standards of service as a prime reflection of Philippine maritime excellence.