WHEREAS, the Philippines as a member country of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), and as a signatory to the 1978 STCW Convention, as amended, as the duty and obligations to undertake measures to preserve the integrity of Certificates issued to Seafarers;

WHEREAS, the Maritime Training Council under Executive Order 242, is the agency responsible in giving full and complete effect to the implementation of the 1978 STCW Convention, as amended;

WHEREAS, Regulation I/5 of the Revised STCW Convention, provides for the establishment of processes and procedures for the prevention of fraud;

WHEREAS, to enable the Maritime Training Council to pursue its purpose directed at the prevention of fraud and prosecution of offenders involving issuance and use of fake certificates, a corresponding funding is necessary similar to those being sourced out by law enforcement agencies of the government;

WHEREAS, the member agencies of the Maritime Training Council directly involved in the protection and preservation of the integrity of certificates issued to seafarers are the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), Technical Educations and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) in pursuance with their respective administrative powers and functions;

WHEREAS, the aforementioned member agencies, individually, in representation of the Maritime Training Council, can effectively ensure compliance and implementation of the measures being undertaken to preserve the integrity of the seafarer's certificates as contemplated herein.

NOW THEREFORE, the Council resolves, as it hereby RESOLVED, for the said member agencies to allocate funds from their respective budget and operating expense for the test-buy operations involving fake certificates and prosecution of offenders involved and that the allocation be available and replenishable at any given time as special funding in connection with the operations referred to, provided that the same is subject to the accounting and auditing requirements of the agency concerned; and provided further that the release thereof is approved by the Maritime Training Council through its Chairman.

RESOLVED, further that in pursuance herewith, the agency concerned may enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with the law enforcement agencies such as the Philippine National Police and the National Bureau of Investigation, for the effective operation including the prosecution of the offenders involved.

RESOLVED finally, that an initial amount of FIFTY THOUSAND PESOS be allocated by the individual agency concerned for the purpose above stated.

This Resolution takes effect immediately.

Adopted: 24 Jan. 2002

APPROVED:

(SGD.) PATRICIA A. STO. TOMAS
Secretary, Department of Labor and Employment
and Chairman, Maritime Training Council

(SGD.) ANTONIETA FORTUNA-IBE



(SGD.) ROSALINDA D. BALDOZ



Chairperson, Professional Regulation



Administrator, Philippine Overseas



Commission (PRC)



Employment Administration (POEA)



(SGD.) WILHELM D. SORIANO



(SGD.) OSCAR M. SEVILLA



Administrator, Overseas Worker



Administrator, Maritime Industry



Welfare Administration, (OWWA)



Authority (MARINA)



(SGD.) VADM. REUBEN S. LISTA



(SGD.) ESTER A. GARCIA



Commandant, Philippine Coast Guard



Chairman, Commission on Higher



(PCG)



Education, (CHED)



(SGD.) VICENTE F. ALDANESE, JR.



(SGD.) GREGORIO S. OCA



Private Sector Representative



Private Sector Representative



Filipino Association for Mariners



Associated marine Officers and



Employment (FAME)



Seamen's Union of the Philippines



(AMOSUP)







(SGD). ROSALINDA V. TIRONA



(SGD.) JOSE T. TALE



Assistant Secretary



Deputy Executive Secretary



Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA)



Office of the President



Attested to:

(SGD.) LORNA O. FAJARDO
Executive Director