International Journal

on Marine Navigation

and Safety of Sea Transportation

Volume 4

Number 3

September 2010

333

1 INTRODUCTION

The current shortage of officers in the world man-

ning industry has become alarming with the estimat-

ed shortage of about 16,000 officers as of 2006, and

predicted to rise to about 46,000 by 2010 according

to a study conducted by Belcher, et. al. (2003).

About 1/3 of the world’s seafarers today are Fili-

pinos (Amante, 2003). It is observed that a great

number of Filipino officers transfer from one com-

pany to another in consideration of a higher salary.

While it is true to some seafarers that salary is

important to keep them from their jobs, to some sea-

farers, security of the job is more important than sal-

ary. Thus, the questions is, “Is the amount of salary

an assurance for a manning or shipping company to

keep their officers and crew?”

During the 8

Asia-Pacific Conference for Man-

ning and Training held in Manila last November 14-

15, 2007, one of the speakers mentioned that seafar-

ers are just like prostitutes.

But why is a seafarer likened or compared to a

prostitute? A prostitute in a club goes for the guy

with the most money, or the highest bidder. Like-

wise, Filipino seafarers today, also go to the compa-

ny which offers the most money for the position.

Doris Magsaysay-Ho, chairman of Magsaysay

Maritime Corporation and president of the Philip-

pine Seafarers Promotion Council, said that ship

owners who refuse to spend money on training are

spreading havoc by poaching qualified crew from

companies that have invested wisely (Lloyd’s List,

2006). She further claimed that other ship owners

have not prepared for the shortages of manpower

and have been causing havoc to the market by pirat-

ing people.

The same opinion was aired by Wang(2006) and

he warned that despite the ship owners efforts to

train quality officers and ratings, they are under the

constant threat of losing their skilled people to com-

panies which do not invest in the training, and do not

build up quality seafarers. The combination of this

poaching and the scarcity of skilled seafarers had

driven the salaries of some masters to $16,000 per

month.

According to Chee How (2007) ship owners and

ship managers must invest in the training and up-

grading of the skills of the seafarers sailing on board

ships to grow the pool of skilled manpower.

It is in this context that the study was studied.

2 THE PROBLEM

This inquiry aimed to determine the following:

1 What are the practices of the different crewing

and manning companies in the recruitment of the

officers and crew?

2 How many of the companies practice poaching?

Are salaries determinants in keeping their officers

and crew?

3 What other programs do companies have for the

seafarers and their family in order to be able to

wisely manage the allotment or even increase

their monthly salary?

Officers as Prostitutes: Myth or Reality? (A

Study on Poaching of Officers in the

Philippines)

M. Magramo, G. Eler, J. Calambuhay & L. Bernas

John B. Lacson Foundation Maritime University, Iloilo City, Philippines

ABSTRACT: This descriptive-qualitative research looked into the reasons why a seafarer is likened to a pros-

titute and in what aspects they are alike. It also aimed to determine from the key informants the practices and

or procedures employed by shipping and manning companies in order to fill in the much needed position on

board that has become a scarcity in the last years. Likewise it aimed to determine how these manning compa-

nies keep their present pool of officers in their rooster. What are the strategies employed by the different

manning companies in keeping their officers and crew loyal to their respective companies?

334

3 METHOD

This descriptive-qualitative phenomenological re-

search delved into the investigation of the different

hiring practices employed by the manning and ship-

ping companies amidst the shortage of qualified and

competent officers in the global manning industry. It

also aimed to determine if salary is a determining

factor in keeping their officers and crew. Likewise,

it aimed to find out what measures are taken by the

manning and shipping companies for their officers

and crew to be loyal to their company.

This study utilized in-depth interviews with key

informants in this research. The respondents were

the different manning and shipping company man-

agers, officers and some crew members.

3.1 Modes of analysis

3.1.1 Career development plan

Keeping their officers and crew one company

which does not join the game of poaching is K-Line.

As of September 2007, the company has a retention

rate of 96% of their officers. It has a career devel-

opment program for their scholars. They frequently

visit their scholars in the different maritime schools

in the country, making them feel that they are part of

the company. True enough, this researcher personal-

ly attests to the fact that it is K-Line who is among

the very few companies that recruit their potential

officers through scholarship programs. This manner

of training potential officers was stressed by the

company president, Mrs. Virginia Linesis during the

interview. She further mentioned that the company

always looks forward to the development of its of-

ficers and crew, which means that the officers are

not only trained to be competent for the present posi-

tion but also for the next position. In this company,

all the officers and crew have a career development

program. “If you are a 2

Officer now, you should

take courses required for a Chief Officer, We even

advise 2

officers to study the job of the chief of-

ficer during their break times,” said Mrs. Linesis.

These researchers were happy to note that of the six

(6) scholars who have become captains in their

company, four (4) are from this university.

At K-Line, the career path is strictly followed.

Opportunities are given, but it is really up to the

crew to grab it. Some of these courses are career de-

velopment, emotional quotient, psychological test

and anger management.

At Philippine Transmarine Carriers, the turn-

over rate is 85%. They lost some of their officers to

poachers despite the fact they are giving other bene-

fits like health and insurance plans. As part of the

program on social responsibility, PTC has developed

the PTC Villages, a housing development program

in Imus, Cavite. Presently, there are 300 houses

through PAG-IBIG Fund, payable in 20 years. Just

like K-Line, PTC likewise has a career development

program for its officers and crew.

3.1.2 The practice of poaching

On the issue of poaching or prostitution of seafar-

ers, majority (12 of the 14 respondents) of the inter-

viewees practice poaching. They usually assign an

employee to do the hiring at the Seafarers Center

near Luneta in Manila. According to a general op-

erations manager we have interviewed: “If other

companies are doing that in order to attract the sea-

farers, they, too are doing the same thing.” Poaching

is the name of the game right now according to Mrs.

Linesis. This was also aptly mentioned by Surish

(2007) that right now, there is a wage war in the

Philippines. Wage wars are inevitable when demand

outstrips supply, but wage wars do not buy loyalty.

On the contrary, wage wars encourage mercenary at-

titude among officers, which results in company

hopping. These also discourage professionalism and

career development through loyalty to a single em-

ployer. According to Mrs. Carla Limcaoco, Vice-

chairman of Philippine Transmarine Carriers, the

word prostitutes being likened to seafarers is true. “It

seems we are all scary and we are all concerned be-

cause it removes professionalism.” The money ac-

cording to her is so tempting. It’s hard to resist. If

this practice continues and younger generation will

use this as work ethics, then it is indeed scary for the

profession.

3.1.3 The offers are too tempting to resist

On the part of the seafarer, these researchers were

able to interview two captains who have just disem-

barked their vessels. They are forced to accept the

good offer because they have to be practical. The

good captains told us that a seafarer is only as good

as his contract lasts. What does he mean by this? If

something happens to the seaman while he is taking

his vacation, he will not be able to claim anything

from his latest company because his contract has al-

ready terminated. After four months of the termina-

tion of the contract, a seaman cannot avail of his

medical benefits anymore, unless he signs a new

contract.

On other programs the companies have for their

officers and crew. The Philippine Transmarine Car-

riers, not only has a career development program for

its officers and crew, but also has a family and crew

service department that focuses on the family. It

conducts monthly seminar on different topics espe-

cially financial management for the wives of the sea-

farers. This is also practiced at K-Line. At Wallem

Maritime Services, a family center which coordi-

335

nates with the families of the seafarers is one of its

programs. Thus, the family is always welcome to en-

tertain any inquiries regarding allotment, procedures

and vacancies in the company. This company also

considers health care insurances, seniority bonus and

re-joining bonus for its officers and crew.

4 FINDINGS

1 Most of the manning companies practice poach-

ing in order to lure officers to the profession. This

is the present name of the game. Demand has dic-

tated this game due to the short supply of quali-

fied and competent officers.

2 The prostitution of the seafarers was also dictated

by the shipping industry especially the ship own-

ers who did not invest for the training of seafarers

are the ones who are now openly offering exorbi-

tant salaries not within the reach of some ship

owners. With this practice professionalism is al-

ready lost in the profession.

3 The companies that invested on the training of the

seafarers are the ones now reaping the fruits of

their investment. they have very high retention

rates of its officers and crew because they have

effectively inculcated in the minds of these sea-

farers the value of loyalty.

5 RECOMMENDATIONS

The following are the recommendation of the re-

searchers to the different shipping and manning

companies:

1 Design a well-defined career development pro-

gram for the officers and crew. See to it that the

company takes care of the career path of each of-

ficer and crew.

2 Provide a program for the promotion of the wel-

fare of the seafarers’ families such as housing

program.

3 Assist the families of the seafarers to be self suf-

ficient through skills training programs such as

entrepreneurship, etc.

REFERENCES

Chee How, H. Seafarers training and advisory committee,

wavelink: September 7, 2007)

Magsaysay, D. H. (crew poachers spreading havoc, Lloyd’s

list: September 20, 2006)

Salinas, Carlos C. (Corporate responsibility and obligations to

the seafarer”, a paper delivered at the 8

Asia-Pacific man-

ning and training conference, November 14-15, 2007, Ma-

nila: Philippines).

Suri, S. (“A synopsis of current manning situation, strategic di-

rections and emerging markets as a solution to worsening

officers shortage”, a paper delivered at the 8

Asia-pacific

manning and training conference, November 14-15, 2007,

Manila: Philippines).

Wang, M. (“Shipowners and good crew.” budd group, ivory

coast: December 14, 2006)