Cognizant of the absence of organizations in the manning sector with accredited PDO program to cater to the PDOS needs of their members without authority to conduct the required seminar, exemption from MC#20, Series of 1997 is hereby granted to manning agencies, subject to the following conditions:

1. PDOS entity opting to conduct the required seminar for other manning agencies must be a member of an existing organization of crewing agencies;

2. The tie-up for the conduct of PDOS by each entity shall be limited to two (2) manning agencies who are fellow members in their particular association/organization.

3. The foregoing arrangement of PDO tie-up accreditation shall be valid and effective only until such when an association of manning agencies and/or any NGO with special concern for seafarers, shall have secured accreditation to conduct PDOS for sea based workers.

This memorandum circular shall take effect immediately.

Adopted: 23 Dec. 1997