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Union Programs

Professional Career Development Center

Background
Aside from the MET facilities established by the union a new center was launched in late 2005, known as the AMOSUP-MAAP Professional Career Development Center (PCDC), and intended as a professional training and upgrading center to prepare seafarers for licensure examinations for deck and officer positions. The facility, designed to be utilized for the Ratings-to-Officers Program of the union, also gained recognition from the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) as a maritime review and upgrading center.

With the growing global shortage of maritime officers, the union urged the government to hasten the licensure process in order to take advantage of the situation and satisfy the world fleet’s demand for qualified and licensed mariners. The union committed resources to allow government to implement a new licensure system that resulted to a faster process.

PRC–WES AT PCDC
PCDC was equipped to be a testing center in order to augment the government competent agency’s capabilities to conduct its Walk-in Examination System (WES) on a weekly basis. A Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) was signed in July 2007 with the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) then to make PCDC as an off-site licensure examination center, providing and installing all equipment specified and required by the agency.

For the period 2008 to 2014, the PRC-WES program was able to accommodate 25,000 Filipino mariners for licensure examinations in order to be issued new and/or upgraded licenses.

In March 2014, Republic Act No.10635 was approved and signed into law, making the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) as the country’s Single Maritime Administration thereby allowing the agency to have authority over all maritime concerns, including the licensure function for maritime officers or the issuance of Certificates of Competency (COC), Certificates of Proficiency (COP) and Certificates of Endorsement (COE).

MARINA–NACSS AT PCDC
A new MOA was signed with MARINA in October 2014 in order to upgrade the facilities of PCDC for the competent agency’s computerized competency-based licensure examinations. The walk-in computerized testing system of MARINA, known as the National Assessment of Competency Standards System (NACSS) was implemented in 2015, using PCDC with all brand new and user-specified equipment as the main licensure testing center of the agency.

The new system, consistent with the competency standards of the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) STCW convention as revised and amended, further accelerated and streamlined the licensure process for the various seafaring professions regulated by the Philippine government.

Through the facility, the competent agency is able to conduct daily licensure examinations for entry-level (operational) officers and those desiring to upgrade their licenses for management level officer positions.

The establishment of the center was made possible through the cooperation of social partners in the maritime industry for which grant funds were utilized. Site preparation was implemented by the union in close collaboration with MARINA.

COP–COC PROCESSING AT PCDC
Apart from the testing center which is fully under the control of MARINA, the agency has also been provided adequate office space at PCDC to process Certificates of Proficiency (COP) and Certificates of Competency (COC) for Filipino mariners. The competent agency has likewise devolved the same important function to the regions. Marine officers need not process such certificates at Marina Head Office.

The devolution is intended to meet IMO’s target date and other requirements for updated and revalidated certificates. All the above efforts are geared towards satisfying international regulations and standards demanded of the challenging seafaring profession.

Visit or Contact Seafarer’s Career Development Program
Professional Career Development Center
Seamen’s Center Annex Corner Sta. Potenciana & Cabildo Sts., Intramuros, Manila
Tel. Nos.: (+632) 527-2110