Free Training Boosts Skills for Over 10,000 Filipino Seafarers
Free training is proving popular with Filipino seafarers. More than 10,000 have completed courses at the National Maritime Polytechnic (NMP) in Tacloban City, Leyte, in the Eastern Visayas region of the Philippines, since the government agency stopped charging fees in August, according to its Executive Director, Victor Del Rosario. He expects the total to reach about 15,000 by the end of the year as more seafarers hear about the scheme.
NMP made all 55 of its courses free from 3 August 2026. The waiver covers full and refresher STCW courses as well as management-level programmes for officers.
The savings are significant. Private training centres charge around PHP 30,000 per course for officers and PHP 7,000 to 8,000 for ratings. Del Rosario said seafarers are now travelling from Luzon and Mindanao to NMP’s main campus in Tacloban City because private courses are too expensive for many.
He linked the programme to the Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers (Republic Act 12021), which calls for affordable and accessible maritime training to keep Filipino crews competent and competitive.
To reach more seafarers, NMP has proposed new regional training centres in Tanza, Cavite, and Davao City. The Development Academy of the Philippines is studying whether both are feasible.
NMP sits under the Department of Migrant Workers and is the only government-owned maritime training and research institution in the Philippines.
Filipino seafarers due for STCW refreshers can save a large amount by booking early at NMP, as demand is rising fast.
