There appears to be growing sentiment for the review of the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of R.A.10635, the law "Establishing the maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) as the Single Maritime Administration for the Implementation and Enforcement of the STCW Convention,1978 as amended...". I am one of those who consider RA 10635 as the best legislation so far enacted on the STCW convention as it puts to rest the question of who the "Administration" is as defined in the convention. That question on the designation of the "Administration" created for the Philippines a long-drawn-out conflict among governmental agencies which held up the implementation of the convention.
RA 10635 establishes the policy which MARINA, since the 1995 amendment to the STCW convention came into effect, has been hoping would be formulated. Instead, R.A. 8544, or the Act Regulating the Practice of the Merchant Marine Profession was passed by Congress in 1998. The PRC law did not resolve the disjointed policies and processes in the implementation of the convention but in fact, sidetracked the urgent efforts to set right this archipelago's STCW compliance.
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