Philippine Ambassador Jaime Victor Ledda (center) with the Philippine delegation from the Department of Transportation (DOTr) led by Undersecretary for Maritime Elmer Francisco U. Sarmiento (second from the right) with Maritime Industry Authority Administrator Sonia Malaluan (first from the right) along with Mr. Gerardo Borromeo, Chairman of the MARINA Multi-Sector Governance Council (second from the left) and Brussels PE Minister Susana Maria L. Mendiola (first on the left) taking a photo during their courtesy call at the Philippine Embassy in Brussels. (Photo courtesy of Mr. Gerardo Borromeo).
On 07 March 2024 in Brussels, Undersecretary for Maritime Elmer U. Sarmiento of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) met with Deputy Director Fotini Ioannidou of the EU Commission Directorate General - Mobility and Transport (DG MOVE) and discussed current and future collaboration in the maritime field, going beyond STCW compliance. It was an opportune occasion for the two sides to reaffirm their partnership considering the safety and security challenges that seafarers and the shipping industry are now facing.
Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) Administrator Sonia Malaluan, who assumed recently in November 2023, assured DG MOVE of the Philippine government’s serious efforts towards innovation, digitalization, and enabling reforms in MARINA. Representing the private sector, MARINA Multi-Sectoral Governance Chairman Gerardo A. Borromeo shared that the confidence level of the industry has been boosted by the Philippine government’s earnest policy measures and resource mobilization for modernization and sustainability.
Philippine Ambassador Jaime Victor B. Ledda, who was joined by Minister Susana Maria L. Mendiola, invited EU DG MOVE to participate in the 60th anniversary of Philippines – EU relations and jointly highlight the importance attached to maritime cooperation. Ambassador Ledda remarked that both the Philippines and the EU had taken great strides in maritime cooperation following the visits of President Marcos to Brussels in December 2022 and of EU Commission President Von Der Leyen to Manila in July 2023.
He recalled that it was one year ago that the EU Commission decided to continue the recognition of STCW certificates issued by the Philippines to the benefit of Filipino seafarers and EU shipping companies. This was followed by the announcement of EU Commission President Von Der Leyen on technical assistance for the education, training, and certification system for Filipino seafarers during her Manila visit.
Deputy Director Ioannidou, together with Justyna Bartnicka, Policy Officer for Maritime Safety Unit, expressed optimism over the developments in the Philippine maritime sector. She also encouraged the DOTr to identify possible cooperation under the EU’s Global Gateway Initiative. Both sides expressed concern over the Houthi missile attack that claimed the lives of two Filipinos on board the M/V True Confidence on 06 March 2024 and the situation of the Red Sea on international shipping. Both sides exchanged views on various international maritime issues and discussed prospects of working together at the multilateral level.
The Philippine delegation headed by DOTr Undersecretary Elmer Francisco U. Sarmiento (second from the left) and Philippine Ambassador Jaime Victor Ledda (third from the left) met with the European Commission’s Directorate-General (DG) Mobility and Transport (MOVE) Deputy Director Fotini Ioannidou (second from the right) and Justyna Bartnicka, Policy Officer for Maritime Safety Unit (first from the right). (Photo courtesy of Mr. Gerardo Borromeo).
