Legal basis and related predecessor rules
- The resolution is adopted pursuant to Section 18 (a), (b), (c), and (d) of Presidential Decree No. 97 and Section 6 (a) of Presidential Decree No. 223, as amended.
- The resolution modifies and/or repeals Board Resolution No. 4 (Series of 1986) and Board Resolution No. 20 (Series of 1991) (Repealing Clause).
- All Board and Commission rules, regulations, guidelines, and policies that conflict with the resolution are repealed and/or modified (Repealing Clause).
Policy purpose and professional responsibility
- Continuing Professional Education (CPE) is defined as education and training beyond the basic preparation for the profession (Definition).
- The CPE objective is to upgrade and enhance the shipboard technical and managerial knowledge, skills, expertise, and competence of every Marine Deck Officer, including the officer’s moral and ethical qualities and the standards of the profession (Objective).
- Every Marine Deck Officer must continually hone competence and nurture moral and ethical traits through formal or informal education with the latest professional trends (Responsibilities).
Definition and CPE scope
- Continuing Professional Education (CPE) for Registered Marine Deck Officers is education and training beyond basic preparation (Definition).
- CPE scope covers Shipboard Management, Nautical Science Practice, Maritime Administration, and Teaching and Research (Definition scope).
Evaluation and accreditation committee (EAC)
- An Evaluation and Accreditation Committee (EAC) is composed of Master Mariners representing various sectors of the Maritime Industry (Composition).
- The Chairman of the EAC is the Chairman of the Board for Deck Officers.
- The Vice Chairman/Secretary is the President of the duly PRC accredited Marine Deck Officers Association.
- EAC members include representatives of COMMA, FAME, FSA, PAMAS, and PAMI (Composition).
EAC functions and EAC staffing
- EAC processes, evaluates, and issues certification for license revalidation or renewal (Functions).
- EAC adopts rules and regulations to implement the objectives of PRC Resolution No. 118 (Functions).
- EAC coordinates periodically with PRC on the numbers of renewed or revalidated licenses (Functions).
- EAC accredits courses, contributions, or programs for CPE units upon request of professional outside organizations (Functions).
- EAC reviews and revises the CPE guidelines every three (3) years, or earlier if necessary (Functions).
- EAC may maintain a staff and office headed by the Vice Chairman, and may charge reasonable fees for accreditation of program/activities and for certification of CPE credit units (Staff and Office).
CPE credits: sea service, courses, and activities
- CPE units for Sea Service are credited as follows: 1.0 unit for every month of sea service on license and 0.5 unit for any position lower than the license (Sea Service Units).
- Courses accredited include all STCW/Upgrading courses that are mandatory requirements and courses complying with IMO Regulations (Courses rule).
- The following courses carry 5.0 units each:
- Shipboard Management Training
- Ship Business Management/Chartering
- Ship Handling and Maneuvering
- Navigational Watchkeeping and Collision Prevention
- Collision Regulation Courses
- Safe Cargo Handling and Stowage
- Dangerous Goods
- Oil Tanker Operation Advanced Course
- LPG/LNG Tanker Safety Course
- Chemical Tanker Advanced Course
- Gas Tanker Operation, Advanced Course
- Global Maritime Distress Safety System General Operators Course (GMDSS-GOC)
- Automatic Radar Plotting Aid (ARPA)
- Four (4) Basic SOLAS Courses (FF, FA, SC and PST)
- Advanced Computer Course
- The following courses carry 3.0 units each:
- Trim and Stability
- Electronic Navigation System with GPS
- Marine Meteorology
- Practice of Navigation & Aids to Navigation
- Cargo Handling Simulator
- Advance Firefighting
- Advance First Aid
- Human/Personal Relation or Leadership & Behavior Development
- Radar Observers Course (ROC)
- Radar Simulator Course (RSC)
- Ships Restricted Radiotelephone Operator Course (SRROC)
- INMARSAT/SATCOM
- Basic Tanker Safety (BTSC/GTSC)
- Oil Tanker Safety Course
- Oil Tanker Familiarization Course
- Gas Tanker Familiarization Course
- Chemical Tanker Safety Course
- Chemical Tanker Familiarization Course
- Inert Gas System/Crude Oil Washing
- Ships Medicine Course
- Basic computer Course
- “Other Upgrading courses not specified above which complies with the requirements of IMO STCW a78 and other related conventions” carry 1.0/day with maximum of 5.0/course (Other Upgrading courses rule).
Programs, correspondence, employment, and unit limits
- CPE units for Maritime Related Matters (Attendance/Participation) are credited up to maximum 5.0 units, with the following daily rates and category caps:
- Conventions: 1.5/day (Natal) and 3.0/day (Intal)
- Conference: 1.5/day (Natal) and 3.0/day (Intal)
- Seminars: 1.5/day (Natal) and 3.0/day (Intal)
- Lectures: 1.5/day (Natal) and 3.0/day (Intal)
- Workshops: 1.5/day (Natal) and 3.0/day (Intal)
- Symposia: 1.5/day (Natal) and 3.0/day (Intal)
- CPE units for written contributions are credited as follows, each with a 5.0 (maximum) cap:
- Authors/Contributions of Articles in Daily Newspapers: 5.0 (maximum)
- Authors/Contributions of Articles in Weekly Newspapers/Magazines: 5.0 (maximum)
- Authors/Contributions of Articles in Journals: 5.0 (maximum)
- Authors/Contributions of Articles in Other periodicals: 5.0 (maximum)
- CPE units for authored dissertations, textbooks, and other published or research materials are credited as 10.0 units/paper with a 20.0 units (maximum) cap (Authors of dissertations/textbook and other published or research materials).
- CPE units for service as lecturer, speaker, discussion leader, or moderator are credited as 5.0 (maximum).
- Employment credited is computed as units per month:
- President, Vice-President, Gen. Manager, Asst. Gen. Manager, Chairman of the Board of Shipping Agencies, Corporations engaged in General Shipping/Manning/Chartering/Cargo and Passenger Transport: 2.0
- Marine Superintendents (Crewing/Technical), Crewing Managers, Port Captains, Training Managers/Directors: 1.0
- Harbor/Dock/Master/Pilots: 1.0
- Full time Maritime Professors: 1.0
- Maritime Educators/Instructors/Trainors: 0.5
- Any other shipping related landbased job: 0.5
- Maritime Correspondence Courses and In-house Shipboard Training Programme:
- Maritime Correspondence Course/Distance Education completion is credited up to a maximum of 10 units.
- In-house Shipboard Training Programme for promotion to licensed rank is credited up to a maximum of 10.0 units.
- Every Marine Deck Officer must earn CPE credit units “in the light of the criteria or standards or parameters imposed by EAC” through any accredited course, activity, or program (CPE credit rule).
- CPE units are credited only once every renewal of PRC ID (Renewal credit rule).
- PRC regulations/resolutions apply to those who have not practiced their profession (Coverage-by-practice rule).
Total units for license renewal
- Total CPE units credited for each license category are cumulative.
- Cumulative required totals by code/category are fixed as follows:
- 3/0 = 30
- 2/0 = 60
- C/0 = 90
- CAPT = 150
- Officers renewing in December 1994, December 1995, and December 1996 must present at least 30%, 60%, and 100% of the required CPE units, respectively (Transitory renewal requirement).
Exemptions and sanctions for non-compliance
- Exemptions from the CPE earning requirement include:
- Being sixty (60) years old or above, other than those continuing sea service.
- Being a retiree from the Armed Forces of the Philippines, other than those continuing sea service.
- Being a Past and incumbent Chairman and Members of the Board for Deck Officers, unless returning to sea service.
- Every Marine Deck Officer, unless exempted, must earn the necessary CPE units as a requirement for renewal of professional license (Sanctions).
- Failure to renew by the expiry date, or immediately thereafter, triggers liability for a surcharge and exposes the officer to administrative disciplinary action by the Board and criminal action if the officer practices the profession despite the invalidity of the professional license (Non-renewal consequences).