TACLOBAN CITY – The National Maritime Polytechnic (NMP), a premier government-owned maritime training and research institution in the country located at Brgy. Cabalawan, Tacloban City, has been duly accredited by the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) as an Assessment Center (AC) for Ratings Forming Part of a Navigational Watch (RFPNW) and Ratings Forming Part of an Engineering Watch (RFPEW).
NMP submitted its application for accreditation as an assessment center to MARINA on 09 February 2016. Relative thereto, MARINA conducted its initial inspection on 12-15 December 2016 and submitted the notice of deficiencies on 22 February 2017 which NMP complied within the prescribed thirty (30) working-day period.
After the re-inspection by MARINA on 26-28 July 2017 and the evaluation of the compliance documents submitted by NMP on 12 October 2017, NMP’s application was hereby approved under Provisional Authority, valid for six (6) months effective 27 December 2017. Announced and unannounced visits will be made by MARINA STCW Office or its duly authorized representatives to ascertain NMP’s compliance with the MARINA’s rules and regulations.
NMP may now conduct practical assessment on RFPNW and RFPEW and issue Certificate of Assessment to successful candidate as one of the requirements for the issuance of Certificate of Proficiency (COP) by MARINA.
The specific requirements to be submitted for practical assessment for RFPNW and RFPEW are: 1. Birth Certificate showing that the candidate is not less than sixteen (16) years of age and 2. Certificate of Completion of Training from an accredited Maritime Training Institution (MTI), or Transcript of Records with Special Order number from an accredited Maritime Higher Education Institutions (MHEIs) as proof of successful completion of the approved education and training programs that meets the standard of competence in Section A-III/4 of the STCW Code, or otherwise approved by MARINA.
Candidates for assessment will be assessed based on the competences set forth by MARINA as provided under STCW Circular 2015-06, Annex IX and STCW Circular 2015-08, Annex IX both issued on 26 June 2015. Candidates shall pass in all the competence with practical assessment within a period not exceeding two (2) years or twenty-four (24) months
This development is beneficial especially to the seafarers-trainees who took their RFPNW and RFPEW trainings outside NMP and to students from accredited MHEIs coming from Region 8 (Eastern Visayas) as they will not be constrained to have their assessment in accredited ACs outside the region. Let it be emphasized that NMP as an accredited assessment center is prohibited to conduct practical assessment to its own trainees.
Moreover, Capt. Chito A. Go and Engr. Ponciano V. Trinidad have also been accredited as assessors for RFPNW and RFPEW, respectively.
Meanwhile, NMP is also in the process of preparing the documentary requirements relative to its application as an assessment center for Officer in Charge of Navigational Watch and management Level Marine Deck Officers which is targeted in May 2018.
For more information about NMP training and research programs, viewers may visit the agency’s website www.nmp.gov.ph or its facebook page (www.facebook.com/nmptrainingcenter) where all related information on NMP trainings are available.