Pursuant to the MTC Resolution No. 02, Series of 1998 regarding the implementation of the four (4) Basic Safety Courses in accordance with the STCW-78 Convention as amended, the following guidelines are hereby issued:

1. Inasmuch as the Personal Safety and Social Responsibility (PSSR) Course became effective on 01 August 1997, the 4 Basic Safety Courses now comprise the following:
   
   1.1 Fire Prevention and Fire Fighting;
   
   1.2 Personal Survival Technique;
   
   1.3 Elementary First Aid; and
   
   1.4 Personal Safety and Social Responsibility.
   
   
2. Unless otherwise required by their employers, seafarers who have taken the previous 3 BSC’s with still valid training certificates under the 1978 STCW Convention are given the option to take the PSSR Course until 01 February 2002. Hence seafarers under this category may hold 2 or more training certificates for the 4 BSCs,
   
   
3. The 4 BSCs prescribed under the STCW-78 Convention, as amended, shall be mandatory to entrant-seafarers effective 01 October 1997 as a pre-requisite for their shipboard employment. Seafarers under this category shall take the entire 4 BSCs in one (1) training center as a package course so that only one (1) training certificate shall be issued upon completion of the 4 Basic Safety Courses. Hence, training centers shall offer the entire 4 BSCs as an integrated course to facilitate the training of seafarers and authentication of their certificates by the concerned government agency;
   
   
4. Training centers offering the 3 BSCs under the 1978 STCW Convention shall endeavor to offer the 4 BSCs not later than December 31, 1998. Otherwise, their existing permits shall not be renewed;
   
   
5. Training centers currently authorized to offer the PSSR only, shall be allowed to offer the said course only up to December 31, 1998. Thereafter, no new permits will be issued to offer the PSSR only;
   
   
6. Only one (1) training permit shall be issued for the 4 BSCs. Hence upon renewal or issuance of new permits for either the PSSR or the 3 BSCs, their expiry date shall be synchronized according to the expiration date of the latter.

This Memorandum Circular shall take effect immediately.

Adopted: 18 Aug. 1998

(SGD.) LORNA O. FAJARDO
Executive Officer