Single Licensure Exam for Marine Management Level

Section 10 of Republic Act No. 8544 (the “Philippine Merchant Marine Officers Act of 1998”) empowers the Boards for Marine Deck Officers and Marine Engineer Officers.
Section 10(g) of Republic Act No. 8544 requires the Boards to look into conditions affecting the practice of the maritime profession and to adopt proper measures for the enhancement and maintenance of high professional and ethical standards.
Section 10(a) of Republic Act No. 8544 authorizes the Boards to promulgate and adopt rules and regulations necessary to carry out the Act’s provisions.
The resolution aligns the Boards’ licensure structure with the 1978 STCW Convention, as amended, which groups merchant marine officers into Operational Level and Management Level.

The resolution declares that adopting a single licensure examination for management-level officers is a positive and proactive solution to the global shortage of officers in the Management Level.
The resolution recognizes that other parties to the revised STCW Convention (including India, United States of America, Australia, and United Kingdom) have adopted and implemented a single licensure examination for Management Level Officers.

The resolution covers Marine Deck Officers and Marine Engineer Officers in the Management Level under the STCW framework.
The Management Level Officers include:
- the Chief Mate and Master Mariner for the Deck Department; and
- the Second Engineer Officer and Chief Engineer Officer for the Engine Department.
The resolution states that the competence standards, tasks, duties, responsibilities, and subject knowledge required for Chief Mate are similar to those required for Master Mariner under the STCW Code.
The resolution states that the competence standards, tasks, duties, responsibilities, and subject knowledge required for Second Engineer Officer are similar to those required for Chief Engineer Officer under the STCW Code.

The Boards adopt a single licensure examination for Marine Deck and Marine Engineer officers at the Management Level.
The management-level licensure examination for Marine Deck Officers is the Chief Mate licensure examination.
The management-level licensure examination for Marine Engineer Officers is the Second Engineer Officer licensure examination.
The resolution makes the single examination approach subject to guidelines to be issued by the Boards.

A registered/licensed Chief Mate who has completed at least twenty four (24) months of approved seagoing service as Chief Mate on boardship of 500 gross tonnage or more must be upgraded, upon application, upon payment of the required fee, and upon approval by the Board, to receive the Certificate of Registration/License as Master Mariner.
A registered/licensed Second Engineer Officer who has completed at least twenty four (24) months of approved seagoing service as Second Engineer Officer on board ship powered by main propulsion machinery of 750Kw propulsion power or more must be upgraded, upon application, upon payment of the required fee, and upon approval by the Board, to receive the Certificate of Registration/License as Chief Engineer Officer.
The resolution requires application and payment of the required fee for each upgrade to the higher management-level certificate.
The resolution conditions each upgrade on Board approval.

The resolution states that it supersedes any previous issuance to the contrary.
The resolution provides for immediate effectivity upon adoption, subject to its publication in the Official Gazette and furnishing to the U.P. Law Center.