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Philippine seafarers buoy economy in a sea of uncertainty

MANILA (AFP) — Amid dire predictions that trade will slow next year due to the global financial crisis, hundreds of Filipino seamen still gather in downtown Manila everyday to scan the positions vacant notices.

Wilfredo Narte, a 66-year-old Filipino sailor, has seen it all before as he walks past a group of recruitment officers offering him up to 8,000 dollars a month to captain a foreign vessel.

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12,000 jobs for seafarers may be available this year - POEA

Foreign shipowners would need about 12,000 Filipino seafarers this year to fill the vacuum in shipping fleets, a ranking Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) official said.

POEA Administrator Rosalinda Baldoz said that they have recently meet with Italian Cruise operators who expressed their interest to hire about 1,600 Filipino seamen this year.

"The Italian cruise operators are expanding and they are looking at hiring 1,600 seafarers this year," Baldoz said in an interview.

Norwegian shipowners, on the other hand will need 3,000 officers and ratings also for their fleet expansion.

But Baldoz said the Japanese shipping firms have the largest requirement as the firms intend to hire seamen from the Philippines.

"Japanese shipowners intend to source 8,000 out of 10,000 new requirements for seafarers on Japanese-owned vessels," added the POEA chief.

According to Baldoz, the Maritime Training Council, an attached agency of POEA, is now studying possible options and strategies for the country to be able to supply the demand of the three countries.

She noted that for the officers, MTC and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) have started the bridge course for engineering graduates and students to fill in the shortage of officers.

Under the program, mechanical and electrical engineering graduates would just have to take a short course for deck and marine officers and to pass the exam and will be allowed to board the ship as officers.

It was earlier projected that in the next two years there will be shortage in officers globally and that foreign shipowners are looking at the Philippines to source these needed officers. -

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/78722/12000-jobs-for-seafarers-may-be-available-this-year---POEA

Man on the Helm

Captain Fresco

To my fellow seafarers, it’s our pleasure to bring you the new generation job finding solution.

From my experiences, looking for a job in Manila entails cost—from air fare, boarding house and daily allowances.

I am from the province and I’m sure there are thousands more like me who left their families in the countryside just to fill up application forms in Manila. After lining up for hours to get an interview, we even get rejected.

Lucky for you if you’re hired on the spot or if the agency sponsors you for a free training! But what if not and you don’t have enough money? Then you go back to the province unemployed and consequently give up your DREAMS of becoming a seaman.

It bleeds my heart seeing deserving but unlucky jobseekers with dashed dreams and ending up as waiters, janitors, laborers or whatever else.

I once talked with a parent who sold their property and farm equipment in the province so his son could find a seaman’s job in Manila. But the poor young guy ended up with nothing.

I also remember an intelligent student from the south who did not know that a scholarship exam for seaman was conducted in some prestigious schools. He, I believed, and many more missed the chance.

With this website, we hope to minimize the expenses of seamen who are looking for employment and providing opportunities for graduating maritime students.

Particularly to seafarers looking for employment, we will bring you closer to Manila and to the shipping agencies even when you’re in the province. It is our aim that before you travel to Manila, you are already hired through the internet, saving you TIME and MONEY.