THE PHILIPPINES and Australia reaffirmed their commitment to mutual recognition of seafarer certificates, reduce administrative barriers, and boost support for shipping and trade logistics between the two countries.
Australia’s Ambassador to the Philippines, Marc Innes-Brown on February 6 met Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) Administrator Sonia Malaluan to finalize the arrangement.
Innes-Brown likewise announced Australia’s formal endorsement of the Philippines-led Manila Declaration on Seafarers’ Human Rights, Safety and Well-being.
These announcements come as the two countries celebrate 80 years of bilateral relations this year.
“Almost 95 per cent of Australia’s two-way goods trade with the Philippines is seaborne. In 2024 and 2025 respectively, Australia was visited 52 times by Philippines-flagged vessels – the highest number in the past five years,” he said.
He added: “For Australia, these measures mean smoother trade and more efficient maritime operations – supporting our ongoing ambitions under Invested: Australia’s Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040.”
Malaluan, for her part, said the memorandum highlights the country’s commitment to maintaining a robust and internationally compliant system of training, assessment and certification for Filipino seafarers.
Australia, in recent years, has invested in its trade and maritime links with the Philippines.
In 2024, Australia established a permanent Australian Border Force presence in its Embassy in Manila to bolster civil maritime, border enforcement and trade facilitation engagement with the Philippine Coast Guard and Bureau of Customs. It is also partnering with the World Bank to support MARINA and the Philippine Department of Transportation to develop a roadmap to decarbonise inter-island ferry services in line with MARINA’s Maritime Industry Development Plan 2028. (ABS-CBN News)
