08 March 2016 - The Philippines and Switzerland signed on 03 March 2016 a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on the Recognition of Certificates under the terms of the 1978 STCW Convention at the sidelines of the7th bilateral political consultations between the two countries in Berne, Switzerland.
Philippine Ambassador to Switzerland Joselito A. Jimeno signed on behalf of the Philippine government, while Deputy State Secretary Georges Martin of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs signed for Switzerland.
The formal signing ceremony was witnessed by Atty. Herschel F. Magracia, Director for Enforcement Service of the Philippine Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), and Mr. Lukas Roth, Deputy Head of the Swiss Maritime Navigation Office (SMNO).
Under the MOA, the Parties agreed to recognize the certificates of competency for seafarers issued by the other Party pursuant to Regulation 1/10 of the 1978 STCW Convention, as amended.
The STCW Convention is one of the major pillars of existing international conventions aimed at ensuring safety at sea, maritime security and protection of the maritime environment.
Through the MOA, the Philippines has demonstrated the country’s firm commitment to continue to provide competent and highly qualified seafarers to the international shipping industry, and affirmed the country’s place in the list of leading maritime nations working for the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) objectives of promoting safe, secure, environmentally sound, efficient and sustainable shipping.
The Filipino people are historically a seafaring people. Being an archipelago, the sea plays a vital role in the cultural, political and economic life of all Filipinos since time immemorial. To date, more than 1/3 of the seafarers/seamen worldwide, including in vessels bearing the Swiss flag, are Filipinos. END