Objective and purpose
- The circular’s objective is to facilitate issuance of STCW A5 Certificates to successful examinees in the marine deck officers licensure examinations.
- The circular’s purpose is to ensure that STCW A5 Certificates are issued during the oath taking ceremony or immediately thereafter.
- The circular is designed to avoid requiring examinees—who already completed approved training courses for STCW A5 Certificates at the time of application—to later go to the STCW Division and apply for issuance again after passing the licensure examination.
Policies on coverage and eligibility
- These guidelines apply to all applicants for marine deck officers licensure examinations who have already completed or have taken the required training courses for STCW A5 Certificates.
- An applicant must be medically fit, particularly with good eyesight and hearing.
- The required Comprehensive Medical Certificate must be issued by a Department of Health (DOH) accredited medical clinic or hospital conducting physical and medical examination for seafarers in accordance with the minimum standards set in the STCW Code.
- The medical certificate must be valid for at least one (1) month after the date of the licensure examination.
- Training courses must be taken from Maritime Training Council (MTC) accredited training centers, and if required, must be recognized by the Board of Marine Deck Officers.
- Every Marine Deck Officer must be assigned a permanent unique registration/Certificate number that appears in the officer’s Certificate of Registration, Certificate of Competency, and Endorsement Certificate.
- These guidelines do not apply to marine deck officers with seagoing services on board:
- warships, naval auxiliaries, or other ships owned or operated by a State and engaged only in governmental non-commercial service;
- fishing vessels;
- pleasure yachts not engaged in commercial trade; or
- wooden ships of primitive build.
Documentary requirements for first timers
- First-time applicants must submit:
- Properly accomplished ACTION SHEET (PRC-MDO FORM No. 3) and Application for the Issuance of STCW A5 Certificates (PRC-STCW Form No. 18).
- Original and photocopy of CURRENT Certificate of Registration (Board Certificate) and PRC ID if applicable.
- Original and photocopy of Ship Simulator and Bridge Teamwork (SSBT) and certificate/documentary proof for the appropriate Function/s in the Management Level Course (MLC).
- Original and photocopy of Transcript of Records with scanned picture, degree finished, date of graduation, Special Order number, seal of school, and remarks “FOR LICENSURE EXAMINATION PURPOSES”.
- Original and photocopy of NBI Clearance valid until the last day of the scheduled examination.
- Original and photocopy of Comprehensive Medical Certificate issued by a DOH accredited medical clinic/hospital valid for at least one (1) month after the licensure examination.
- Original and photocopy of Birth Certificate in Security Paper (SECPA) issued by the National Statistics Office (NSO).
- Original and photocopy of CURRENT Community Tax Certificate/Cedula.
- Original and photocopy of Training Record Book (TRB).
- First timers must show one (1) year accumulated approved seagoing service using the current certificate/license, with the following rank-specific requirements:
- Officer In Charge of a Navigational Watch: at least twelve (12) months on board seagoing ship of 500 GT or more as part of an approved education and training program, including on-board training in accordance with section A-II/1 of the STCW Code, documented in an approved training record book.
- Chief Mate: sea service in the operational level for at least twenty four (24) months under Regulation II/2 of the revised STCW Convention, as amended.
- Master Mariner: sea service as Chief Mate for at least twelve (12) months under Regulation II/2 of the revised STCW Convention, as amended.
- First timers must submit additional seagoing-service and related documents:
- Seafarer’s Identification and Record Book (SIRB): Original and photocopy of pages 1 and 2, and other pages reflecting sea service rendered with arrival and departure stamped by immigration.
- Duly notarized Company Certification of Sea Service: must include name and type of vessel, rank or capacity being served, vessel’s trading area, GRT, and dates of sea service.
- Duly notarized and properly accomplished original Certificate of Sea Service (PRC-MDO Form No. 5).
- Original or authenticated copies of POEA Contract for foreign trade, or CREWLIST for domestic trade.
- First timers must also submit:
- National Assessment Center (NAC) Certificate for training courses under Regulations V & VI, National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) General Operator’s Certificate (GOC) under Regulation IV of the revised STCW Convention.
- Original and photocopy of certificate of trainings under either Operational Level or Management Level.
- Four (4) pieces passport size colored picture meeting these specifications:
- white background/proper haircut/no headgear and eyeglasses;
- complete name tag (example: DELA CRUZ, JUAN, GARCIA);
- proper uniform and shoulder board.
- Metered Documentary Stamp (for C.A.F.).
- Mailing Envelope with Metered-Stamp and one (1) long brown envelope.
- Examination Fee.
Documentary requirements for repeaters/conditioned
- Repeater/conditioned applicants must submit:
- Properly accomplished ACTION SHEET (PRC-MDO FORM No. 3) with proof of application for issuance of STCW A5 Certificates.
- Original and photocopy of CURRENT Certificate of Registration (Board Certificate) and PRC ID if applicable.
- Original and photocopy of NBI Clearance valid until the last day of the scheduled examination.
- Original and photocopy of Comprehensive Medical Certificate issued by a DOH accredited medical clinic/hospital valid for at least one (1) month after the date of licensure examination.
- Original and photocopy of CURRENT Community Tax Certificate/Cedula.
- Four (4) pieces passport size colored picture meeting these specifications:
- white background/proper haircut/no headgear and eyeglasses;
- complete name tag (example: DELA CRUZ, JUAN, GARCIA);
- proper uniform and shoulder board.
- Metered Documentary Stamp (for C.A.F.).
- Mailing Envelope with Metered-Stamp and one (1) long brown envelope.
- Examination Fee.
Application processing and issuance steps
- Applicants must obtain from the Information Counter of the Marine Deck Officers Division (MDOD):
- Action Sheet (MDO Form No. 3) and
- Application for the Issuance of STCW A5 Certificates (STCW Form No. 18),
then accomplish them and submit, together with documentary requirements, to the Application Processing Counter for evaluation.
- The Application Processor must:
- receive PRC-MDO Form No. 3 and STCW Form No. 18;
- check authenticity and completeness of required documents; and
- after checking authenticity, stamp original presented on all photocopies of the original documents.
- Documents with questionable or doubtful authenticity on its face are subject to further verification.
- If documents are found fake/fraudulent, the Records Verifier must accomplish a Referral Form (MDO Form No. 33) for signature by the Chief/Asst. Chief of Division, and then forward it to the lawyer handling Marine Deck Officers administrative cases for appropriate action.
- The applicant must log the applicant’s name, rank, and application status in a logbook as First Timer, Repeater, or Conditioned.
- The Application Processor must authorize payment of fees, instruct the applicant to proceed to the Cashier for payment of prescribed fees, and issue CAF, NOA, and PERRC.
- After payment, the applicant must fill up CAF and NOA and proceed to the Issuance Counter to submit these with the Official Receipt (OR) and PERRC.
- The Issuing Officer must:
- check the correctness of accomplished forms, documentary requirements, and the Official Receipt; and
- if in order, issue Notice of Admission, OR, CAF as stub, and examination program; or
- if not in order, return the application and documentary requirements to the applicant for completion.
- The applicant must return to PRC two (2) days before the first day of examination to know the school, building, and room assignment for the written examination.
- The Issuing Officer must forward the application to the STCW Records Verifier, who must verify the authenticity of training certificates through Completion Reports submitted by accredited MTC training centers.
- If found in order, the STCW Records Verifier must forward the processed application to the Qualified Assessor/Member of the Board for assessment and approval.
- After approval, the STCW Records Verifier must forward the approved application to the Application Section Head of the MDOD.
- The Application Section Head must prepare and submit a status report on the number of applications received to the Chief of the Examination Division.
- Successful examinees must pay:
- registration fees,
- the PRC ID Card, and
- fees for the issuance of STCW A5 Certificates.
Effect of non-compliance and administrative consequences
- Submission of fake/fraudulent documents triggers referral: the Records Verifier must complete MDO Form No. 33, which is signed by the Chief/Asst. Chief of Division, and then forwarded to the lawyer handling Marine Deck Officers administrative cases for appropriate action.
Supersession and transitory handling
- The circular is implemented to ensure issuance of STCW A5 Certificates during oath taking or immediately thereafter, using the licensing process instead of requiring applicants to later apply at the STCW Division after passing the licensure examination.