Becoming a seafarer in Philippines as a career change

Official rules for adults who already have a profession on shore.

Age limits

Adults can work on board from age 18.
Source: Republic Act No. 12021: Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers (Supreme Court E-Library)
Cadets must be at least 16; the cadet route goes through a maritime school.
Source: Republic Act No. 12021: Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers (Supreme Court E-Library)

Entry through your shore profession

Your profession on shore	Role at sea	Course	Where and on what terms
Adult without a maritime degree	Deck rating, later deck officer	Ratings Forming Part of a Navigational Watch (RFPNW)	A deck rating certificate requires the RFPNW course and at least 2 months of seagoing service. Source: MARINA Citizen's Charter 2026, 1st Edition (March 2026) Without a cadetship, the officer of the navigational watch certificate requires at least 36 months of service in the deck department. Source: MARINA Citizen's Charter 2026, 1st Edition (March 2026)
Mechanic or engine worker	Engine rating, later engineer officer	Ratings Forming Part of an Engineering Watch (RFPEW)	An engine rating certificate requires the RFPEW course at a MARINA-accredited MTI and a passed practical assessment. Source: MARINA Citizen's Charter 2026, 1st Edition (March 2026) Without a cadetship, the engineer officer of the watch certificate requires at least 36 months in the engine department. Source: MARINA Citizen's Charter 2026, 1st Edition (March 2026)
Electrician	Electro-Technical Officer (ETO)	Approved Electro-Technical Officer (ETO) course	The ETO certificate requires an approved ETO course at an accredited MTI. Source: MARINA Citizen's Charter 2026, 1st Edition (March 2026) Instead of 8 months as an ETO cadet, at least 32 months of sea service in the engine department as an electrician is accepted. Source: MARINA Citizen's Charter 2026, 1st Edition (March 2026)
Cook	Ship's cook	Approved ship's cook training	Under the MLC 2006, ship's cooks must be trained, qualified and found competent. Source: ILO, Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 (as amended) No seafarer under 18 may work as a ship's cook. Source: ILO, Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 (as amended)

Minimum set of documents

A Basic Training (BT) certificate.
Source: MARINA Citizen's Charter 2026, 1st Edition (March 2026)
An SRB and SID from MARINA.
Source: MARINA Citizen's Charter 2026, 1st Edition (March 2026)
A PEME medical certificate from a DOH-accredited facility.
Source: Republic Act No. 12021: Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers (Supreme Court E-Library)
Your first contract only through a licensed manning agency.
Source: Republic Act No. 12021: Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers (Supreme Court E-Library)

Costs and timing: official fees only

The MARINA fee for a new or renewed SID is ₱1000, and for a new or renewed SRB ₱1000.
Source: MARINA Citizen's Charter 2026, 1st Edition (March 2026)
SRB/SID processing fees are not refundable or transferable.
Source: MARINA SID/SRB Online Appointment System
The standard processing time for an SRB or SID is within 3 working hours after data capturing.
Source: MARINA SID/SRB Online Appointment System