English Competency Continues to be Filipino Seafarer’s Top Advantage

Manila, Philippines - “More and more foreign ship operators continue to choose Filipino crew members for their superior English and writing skills”, said Ret. Vice Admiral Eduardo Ma. Santos, President of the Maritime Academy of Asia and the Pacific (MAAP).

The MAAP President also added that because of their excellent English communication skills, ship owners feel more at ease as they no longer have to go through an interpreter when speaking to their crewmen.

“English is the language at sea and our seafarers do well in mastering this skill,” expounds Santos.

Filipino seafarers also posses Excellent seamanship and navigation skills which is another reason why they are the most preferred crewmen for shipowners. This preference was made more apparent when the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) announced that the number of Filipino seafarers are expected to hit an additional 20,000 to the current 380,000 Filipino seafarers around the world at the end of the year.

The MAAP chief also noted that other qualities like leadership and perseverance are important skills that the cadets should learn during their time at the academy.

“Perseverance and discipline” should also be instilled into the cadets’ mind setting as to make them more “hardy and fit for a seagoing career,” concluded Santos.