To ensure that the nation complies with the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping (STCW) Convention for seafarers, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has issued new directives. Marcos gave the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) instructions to handle maritime school issues, particularly those that do not adhere to criteria for educational quality, during […]

The OFW Hospital, the country’s first hospital dedicated to Filipino migrant workers and their families, is expanding services while keeping its promise of providing free health care. This initiative was created to thank our modern-day heroes, the OFWs, for their enormous contribution to the economy. The Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) Hospital and Diagnostic Center or […]

The new administration of the Maritime Industry Authority, or MARINA, has suspended the revised policy for the safe manning of domestic ships. MARINA Advisory 2022-43 was signed by Administrator Hernani Fabia, suspending the implementation of the MARINA Circular MS-2020-03 entitled “Revised Rules and Regulations on Safe Manning Ships Operating in Philippine Waters”, particularly the tables […]

Mr. Samuel Batalla took his oath as the new OIC-Executive Director of the STCW Office of the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) on September 12. Batalla was the Officer-In-Charge-Chief for the Certification Division during the term of former MARINA OIC Administrator Narciso Vingson, Jr. who issued the STCW Advisory No. 2019-05, then “Clarifications and Supplemental Guidelines on […]

IOLCOS MARITIME AGENCIES FAR EAST INC joins the nation in the celebration of 2022 NATIONAL MARITIME WEEK. Let’s all celebrate with Theme: New Technologies For Greener Shipping”. Also its a week for recognizing our beloved Seafarers for their invaluable contribution to world trade and the economy by conducting sea transport. Thank you for all your […]

Filipino seafarers get a closer shot at getting vaccines against COVID-19 as the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) approves the recommendation of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to include them in the priority recipients listed in the government’s national vaccination rollout.

The National Task Force Against COVID-19 (NTF) has amended its earlier advisory by exempting foreign seafarers, who are holders of 9 (c) crew list visa, from the month-long temporary travel ban. In yesterday’s meeting of the Inter Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Task Force members agreed to consider the appeals of licensed manning agencies (LMAs) to allow entry of foreign seafarers scheduled to arrive in the country to do crew changes.