Historical Trend of Filipino Seafarers Working on Foreign Ships.
Filipinos are among the most accepted seafarers globally today.
Since 1987, the Philippines has been the principal provider of
seafarers worldwide, making it the "manning capital of the world." At present,
about 181,000 officers and ratings, or 15 percent of the total 1.2 million seafarers
worldwide aboard 14,000 ocean going vessels are Filipinos.
Their placement has been increasing for the last 14 years: 64,109 in
1982; 95,872 in 1988; 145,758 in 1993 and the all time high of 165,401 in 1995. These
statistics affirm to the Filipino seafarers' world class quality, which merited them a
place in ocean going tankers, passenger ships, reefer vessels, bulk and chemical carriers
of about 120 flags of registry. Leading these are Panama, Liberia, Singapore, Greece,
Japan, Cyprus, Kuwait, Malaysia, Norway and Denmark.
A joint study of the Baltic and International Maritime Organization
(BIMCO) and the International Shipping Federation (ISF), two principal international
shipowner's organizations, predicts maintenance of this leadership stature with over
300,000 Filipino seafarers engaged in world seafaring into the next century.
This supremacy standing is due, among other things, to the vigorous
development of the Filipino mariners' proficiency and qualification over time. His
attachment to the sea originates from living in an archipelago of more than 7,107 islands
with a vast coastline. His history as a seafarer dates back to the 15th century when
Filipino forefathers were heavily occupied in barter trading with neighboring Asian
countries. During the 16th century, Filipinos manned galleons and taught Spanish seamen
the essential skills in sailing the open seas. And between 18th and 19th century, they
enlisted as helmsman or quarter-masters aboard American ships sailing to the Pacific. In
the war of 1812, the American Navy recruited Filipinos to man their vessels.
With the increasing international trade and commerce, the demand for
Filipino seafarers' services increased, catalyzing the shipping expansion and the
establishment of the Philippine overseas seafaring industry.
Over the years, the Filipino seafarer have created a powerful
aggressive edge in the international seafaring market with their reputation for
dependability and competence, industry, honesty, their facility for communicating in
English and their adaptability that enables them to learn quickly and sharpen their skills
easily. Most significantly, the Filipino seafarers' competitive wages make them a strong
option over the best foreign counterparts.
