WHEREAS, Section 6 (h), Qualifications of the Chairman and Members of the Board, Article IV of Republic Act No. 8544, otherwise known as the œPhilippine Merchant Marine Officers Act of 1998  provides that the last shipboard experience of an applicant to the Board should not be less than one (1) year within a ten (10) year period prior to appointment date.

WHEREAS, Section 2, Declaration of Policy, and Section 3, Objectives, Article II of Republic Act No. 8544, requires compliance with the provisions of the 1978 Inter- national Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) for Seafarers, as amended, to which the Philippines is a signatory.

WHEREAS, Section A-I/11 of the STCW Code allows alternative to seagoing service/shipboard experience, among others, having performed functions considered to be equivalent to the seagoing service required, or have successfully completed an approved training course/s.

WHEREAS, Memorandum Circular No. 02-03 dated January 22, 2002 provides for equivalence for marine engineer officers who were unable to serve on board seagoing ship/s.

WHEREFORE, the Commission RESOLVES, as it is hereby RESOLVED that, in lieu of the one (1) year shipboard experience of an applicant for appointment to the Board of Marine Engineer Officers, within a ten (10) year period prior to appointment date, the applicant must comply with the following as its equivalence:

1. Must have been a former member of the Board of Marine Engineer Officers.
2. Must have completed IMO Model Course 6.09, Instructor ™s Training Course, and IMO Model Course 3.12, Assessment, Examination and Certification of Seafarers.
3. Have performed any of the following related functions for at least one (1) year within a five (5) year period prior to appointment date.

1. Chairman/President, Marine Superintendent, Port Engineer/Manager or Marine Safety Officer of a Shipping/Manning Company
2. Marine Surveyor
3. Head of a Marine Engineering Department in any Commission on Higher Education (CHED) recognized marine institution.
4. Instructor in any subject related to the seven (7) main functions (Annex 1, STCW Code Part A in any CHED-recognized maritime institution or Maritime Training Council (MTC) Accredited maritime training centers.

(Note: The above qualification must be certified by the concerned school, training center, shipping/manning company or class society)

Adopted: 08 July 2005

(SGD.) CHRISTOPHER P. MAAMBONG
Chairman

                                       

(SGD.) ARTURO D. CARMEN	(SGD.) BONIFACIO N. BALINTEC
Member	Member
(SGD.) ISAGANI I. VALMONTE, JR.	(SGD.) JOSE G. ABUGAN
Member	Member

Attested:

(SGD.) ARISTOGERSON T. GESMUNDO
Assistant Commissioner

Approved:

(SGD.) LEONOR TRIPON-ROSERO
Chairperson

               

(SGD.) AVELINA A. DE LA REA	(SGD.) RENATO B. VALDECANTOS
Commissioner	Commissioner