State-run Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) will start operating its online services for seafarers this July as part of efforts to streamline the maritime-related processes and applications.
This is in line with the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to digitalize government transactions, Marina said.
“All our processes will be online. It has a QR code from start to finish,” Marc Anthony Pascua, Marina National Capital Region director, said during the Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas on Tuesday.
Forming part of the 10-point Maritime Agenda is the rollout of the Marina Blockchain-Enabled Automatic Certification System, Pascua said.
With the QR code, Marina partner agencies in the maritime sector, such as the Philippine Coast Guard, can easily check the authenticity of documents.
“Our enforcers will check the QR code and that will verify if it is registered with us so that we can avoid fraudulent and spurious documents,” Pascua added.
Pascua also mentioned the proposed Marina organization and pattern as well as the extension offices for 2025, saying the plan will strengthen the push for the welfare and rights of Filipino seafarers.
Last month, the Philippines maintained its status as a major provider of Filipino seafarers globally as it is included anew in the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) White List.
The IMO White List serves as a roster of parties recognized for their commitment to maintaining high standards in maritime education, training and certification for seafarers.
Being included in the list also signifies that the seafarers trained and certified in the Philippines meet the rigorous international standards set by the IMO International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers or STCW Convention.
After the 2022 IMO Independent Evaluation, the Department of Transportation through the Marina exerted efforts to implement and monitor the corrective actions for the benefit of almost 50,000 Filipino seafarers employed by European-flagged vessels.
