22/06/2026
Maritime Industry Authority Hear Our Voices‼️
I hope that MARINA can provide a more sustainable and practical pathway for ETR holders to obtain the ETO Certificate of Competency (COC). As an ETR Holder, we have already invested approximately 200,000 PHP for the ETR training and assessment to earn our certification. It is challenging and not financially reasonable to require us to spend an additional amount of nearly 400,000 PHP just to qualify for ETO.
Most ETR holders have invested everything they had — both effort and resources — simply to acquire their initial certificate and enter the marine industry. We have maximized our capabilities and resources to reach this level. Therefore, we respectfully request MARINA to develop a strategic and reasonable program that allows ETR holders to upgrade and obtain the ETO COC without requiring excessive additional costs.
We believe that a more streamlined and affordable pathway will not only support professional growth but also ensure that qualified seafarers can progress smoothly in their careers while being able to practice their expertise safely and responsibly.
