COTABATO CITY — A bill filed in the Bangsamoro Parliament seeks to create the first maritime school in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, to be built in Tawi-Tawi, the southernmost part of the Philippines.
Parliament Bill No. 356, or the proposed Tawi-Tawi Maritime School Act of 2025, authored by Member of the Parliament John Anthony Lim, aims to bring specialized maritime education closer to home for students who would otherwise need to study outside the region or settle for unrelated courses available locally.
“There are many students in the island provinces who are very skilled or have strong potential in maritime work—especially those familiar with boats or the sea,” Lim said.
“This school will help turn that natural ability into a real career.”
Tawi-Tawi, known for its maritime heritage, has long been isolated from the country’s main educational and economic hubs.
With limited access to specialized education, Lim noted that many students in the island provinces face financial and geographic challenges in pursuing higher education.
“We want them to be skilled, recognized, and ready to serve the maritime sector,” Lim said.
If passed, the school will offer degree programs such as Bachelor of Science in Marine Transportation (BSMT) and Bachelor of Science in Marine Engineering (BSMarE), as well as short courses like basic safety training, seafarers rating, fishery technology, and vessel operations and maintenance.
“This is a good start not only for Tawi-Tawi but also for other provinces in the region. Once this model succeeds, we hope to replicate it across BARMM,” he added.
He stressed that students in the region should have access to education that fits their environment, culture, and future goals.
The school will fall under the supervision of the Ministry of Basic, Higher, and Technical Education (MBHTE), in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Agrarian Reform (MAFAR) and maritime authorities.
Lim also highlighted Tawi-Tawi’s rich boat-building tradition but noted that many of its boats remain unregistered because local builders are not accredited by government agencies.
The proposed school seeks to address this by training and certifying boat builders and seafarers, creating more jobs and strengthening local industries. Under the proposed measure, funding for the school’s establishment and operations will come from the annual budget of the Bangsamoro government through the MBHTE, with additional resources possibly sourced from grants, donations, and income-generating projects of the school. (LTAIS-Public Information, Publication, and Media Relations Division)
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