The Philippines’ maritime schools need experienced teachers to comply with international safety guidelines and update their curriculum.

The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) stated that the country’s maritime schools are in demand for experienced teachers. The Philippines could be at risk of losing European Union jobs for Filipino seafarers due to the lack of international safety guidelines in maritime education in the country. While the European Union has recognized the improvements made by the country to comply with maritime labor requirements, at least five deficiencies remain unsolved. There are currently 490,000 Filipino seafarers in different parts of the world, and at least 83 maritime institutions in the Philippines. The pay scale for seafarers when they board ships abroad, however, is too high for the maritime institutions to compete with in terms of salaries. In response, an enhanced maritime curriculum will be implemented in the coming school year, to ensure that students have the necessary skills to meet the demands of the industry. Monitoring of maritime schools in the country will also continue, which is expected to address the five deficiencies affecting Filipino seafarers.