CME participates in Black Monday

By Paola P. Rigor

In fear of the possible increase in tuition and threats that might potentially place Maritime Higher Education Institutions (MHEI) in decline, the College of Maritime Education joined the Philippine Association of Maritime Institutions (PAMI) in a black Monday protest, opposing the inclusion of Chapter XVIII in the Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers (MCFS 18) last March 18, 2024.

President Marcos Jr. noted last year that he should sign the Magna Carta of Philippine Seamen on February 26, 2024, as a matter of urgency. However, the bill was delayed for further study after the domestic ship owners raised some concerns due to regulatory requirements.

According to Malacañang, President Marcos Jr. mentioned that the bill guarantees the international community that the country will comply with its obligation to ensure that the Filipino seafarer’s training, facilities, and equipment will meet the international standards and the set standards of the relevant international conventions.

As stated by PAMI, dressing black symbolizes a powerful declaration that ‘the future seafarers are on the verge of dying,’ as the MCFS 18 mandates all maritime schools to have their training vessel and simulators for the required onboard training of the maritime students that will promptly lead to a gradual increase of tuition, forcing the cadets to take more afford- able courses that may potentially kill the MHEIs.

They also claim that education should have no room in the Magna Carta for Filipino Seafarers, for they believe that students who are still studying cannot be classified as seafarers, asking for a reconsideration of the bill.

Meanwhile, Chief Engineer Ferdinand C. Villamil, Dean of CME, expressed that he is not in favor of the inclusion of the Chapter 18 bill, saying that their goal is to minimize the tuition of the cadets.

Cadets are the ones who will suffer at the expense of buying a ship, Captain Quintin C. Manglapus, Cadet Enhancement Director, Head of BS Marine Transportation (BSMT), said that they are hoping to remove the rule of law in maritime academies, hoping to continue their system of cooperating and signing a memorandum of agreement with the shipping company to train the cadets, “Para at least tuloy pa rin ‘yung onboard training nila na hindi gagastos ‘yung mga cadet,” he added.

The estimated value of a ship would cost at least one to two million US dollars, which is equivalent to 56 to 100 million pesos.

“Can we afford to buy a ship?

Not only a ship, but ‘yung maintenance, fuel, food, crew—How about the private school that cannot afford? ’Yun yung nagiging problema ng Magna Carta,” said Captain Manglapus.

“While this bill has good intentions, it requires further review and more research to ensure its accessibility, especially to maritime schools and aspiring maritime students,” said Cadet Silva, Jonathan Jr., a fresh Perpetualite graduate of BS Marine Engineering who is scheduled to take his 12 months of onboard training next school year at the university.

“Ngayon, kapag nagkaroon na ng training ship [magkakaroon ng] operational expenses ‘yan, you will have to pay the officer, fuel, then ‘yung byahe niya. said Captain Lexington Calumpang, CME Faculty.

When asked about the impact of MCFS 18 on students, Cadet Baldrias, Jhan Mark, a 3rd-year student of BSMT, said, “'Di po maganda [ang epekto nito]. Bukod sa katulad naming mga hirap [at] saktuhan lang ‘yung kinikita sa pang araw-araw, ngayon na ganito pa [kamahal] ‘yung tuition natin eh nahihirapan na kami, ano pa kaya ‘yung i-increase pa nila ‘yung tuition para lang magkaroon tayo ng shipboard.”