Ang mahal ng tuition fee! Lacson vows to make seafarer education affordable

Ang mahal ng tuition fee! Lacson vows to make seafarer education affordable
Billy Begas/POLITIKO | April 29, 2025 https://politiko.com.ph/2025/04/29/ang-mahal-ng-tuition-fee-lacson-vows-...

Independent senatorial candidate Panfilo Lacson vowed to prioritize the passage of legislation that would make the education and training of aspiring seafarers affordable.

During the Konsultahang Bayan held in Cebu last Monday, Lacson stressed that while seafarers brought or sent home around $6.94 billion in remittances in 2024 alone, education for those who want to become seafarers has become “prohibitive.”

“Their contribution to the Philippine economy cannot be discounted… So we must help them because their tuition and training fees have become so prohibitive,” Lacson pointed out.

“We must look into their plight and see if there is a solution based on legislation that will allow seafarers’ parents to afford their training. God willing, if I return to the Senate, I will push for legislation in that direction,” he added.

Lacson noted that demand for seafarers continues to grow, giving students opportunities to be employed. But in the Visayas and Mindanao, the number of students may be declining due to the high costs.

In many cases, Lacson said parents have no choice but to use their savings and retirement funds for their children taking maritime courses.

“Only rich parents can send their children to maritime school,” he lamented.

Should he win in the upcoming elections, Lacson said he would study possible solutions to issues raised by the stakeholders at the forum, including setting up government-subsidized halfway houses for student seafarers from the Visayas and Mindanao, as there are not enough maritime schools there.

“We have lots and lots of work to do. Just in case I am elected, assure you this will be one of my priority measures,” said Lacson after the forum.