NMP accepts IMO MC 3.12 & 6.10 OWWA scholars

By National Maritime Polytechnic
October 4, 2019

TACLOBAN CITY – As a premier provider of the training courses for maritime instructors and assessors, the National Maritime Polytechnic (NMP) accepts and encourages enrollees to avail the NMP-Overseas Workers Welfare Association (OWWA) Skills-for-Employment-Scholarship Program (SESP) for the Training Course for Simulator Instructors and Assessors (IMO Model Course 6.10) and Assessment, Examination, and Certification of Seafarers (IMO Model Course 3.12) courses.

With the aim to support the capability-building of the would-be maritime instructors and assessors, NMP Executive Director, Joel B. Maglunsod, wrote to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary, Silvestre H. Bello through its Undersecretary, Renato L. Ebarle who was then the NMP’s cluster head under the Employment, Migrant Workers Welfare, and Administrative Services Cluster, a request for inclusion of the IMO MC 6.10 and 3.12 in the OWWA Scholarship Programs for seafarers. The said request was raised during the DOLE’s Cluster Mid-Year Performance Assessment (MYPA) and as an offshoot, the inclusion was approved during the conduct of the OWWA’s Board of Trustees (BOT) meeting.

Subsequently, in a Memorandum of Instruction (MOI) issued by the OWWA dated 29 August 2019, the guidelines governing the implementation of SESP were amended to include the two (2) additional courses in the list of applicable maritime courses covered by the SESP in addition to the existing sponsored course, the Training Course for Instructors (IMO MC 6.09) which is also offered by NMP.

The SESP is a scholarship program offered by OWWA that promotes the welfare of the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and their dependents. OWWA assumes the training cost amounting to Fourteen Thousand Five Hundred Pesos (P14,500) in any vocational or technical courses accredited by TESDA and other government institutions. This shall be paid directly by OWWA to the concerned school or institution once Confirmation Slip of enrolment has been received by the office. Important documentary requirements for the claim include proof of OWWA membership for member, and proof of relationship to OFW-member, if dependent/beneficiary.

Since 2016 to April 2019, there were One Thousand Four Hundred Fifty-One (1, 451) trainees who took the IMO Model Course 6.09 under the said program.

Moreover, the NMP also accepts scholars from the Seafarers Upgrading Program (SUP) of OWWA. The program intends to upgrade the skills and expertise of the Filipino seafarers with the use of the advanced technology and maritime standards. The applicant is provided with Seven Thousand Five Hundred Pesos (P7,500) training assistance. Seafarers with valid OWWA membership contribution at the time of application shall be entitled to avail of the SUP.

Per NMP’s record, Two Hundred Fifty-Four (254) NMP trainees took various upgrading courses covered by the SUP from 2016 to April 2019.

Accordingly, the trainee who opts to avail the scholarships must first visit the NMP for the issuance of Proof of Registration as one of OWWA’s requirements in availing the programs. NMP on the other hand, will only consider the trainee to be officially enrolled once a Notice of Award (NOA) from OWWA will be presented.

The IMO MC 6.09 is a pre-requisite of IMO MC 3.12 which will enable the trainees to plan and prepare effective teaching and instruction, select appropriate methods of instruction and teaching materials, and evaluate the teaching and learning processes.

Meanwhile, IMO MCs 6.09 & 3.12 are pre-requisites of IMO MC 6.10. IMO MC 3.12 helps maritime instructors, faculty members of maritime schools and merchant marine officers holding 6.09 certificate to be adept in administering and supervising assessment of seafarer competence in accordance with the provisions of Section A-I-6 of STCW Code. Subsequently, future maritime instructors who undergo the IMO MC 6.10 should be able to contribute in formulating a training policy both the macro and micro level and develop individual simulator instructor traits.