The Philippine Coast Guard is not exactly military, but then it is the third armed service of the Philippines. It is not part of the Armed Forces of the Philippines but rather the Department of Transportation.
The primary task of the Philippine Coast Guard is to keep watch over Philippine waters. Their job is to protect it and ensure that they enforce laws to keep the sovereignty of Philippine waters.
In addition to this, the Philippine Coast Guard must also protect the environment. It is their duty to capture fishermen who are violating the law.
Finally, the Philippine Coast Guard will also serve in combat if called upon. They will participate in a war should it ever be declared.
PHILIPPINES COAST GUARD SALARY IN 2023:
| POSITION | SALARY |
| Admiral | Php 125,574 |
| Vice Admiral | Php 114,235 |
| Rear Admiral | Php 102,896 |
| Commodore | Php 91,058 |
| Captain | Php 80,583 |
| Commander | Php 71,318 |
| Lieutenant Commander | Php 62,555 |
| Lieutenant Senior Grade | Php 56,582 |
| Lieutenant Junior Grade | Php 49,528 |
| Ensign | Php 43,829 |
| First Master Petty Officer | Php 38,366 |
| Master Petty Officer | Php 34,761 |
| Senior Petty Officer | Php 34,079 |
| Chief Petty Officer | Php 33,411 |
| Petty Officer I | Php 32,756 |
| Petty Officer II | Php 32,114 |
| Petty Officer III | Php 31,484 |
| Seaman First Class | Php 30,867 |
| Seaman Second Class | Php 30,261 |
| Seaman Third Class | Php 29,668 |
As one can observe, the Philippines coast guard salary is not that much. They all start from the third-class position as seaman. The seaman salary per month in Philippines 2022 is less than 30,000 PHP, which means it may not even be enough to earn a decent living from it especially if you have a family.
Although the coast guard officer salary is small, one can work really hard and achieve a higher salary. For example, the seaman captain salary Philippines is 80,000 PHP, and this is big enough to be able to earn a salary.
What is a Salary grade?
A salary grade is a number that defines the monthly payment/income a government employee receives.
Each government position is assigned a salary grade based on its difficulty level and range of responsibilities. The President of the Philippines is the highest responsibility. Hence, the salary grade of the president is Grade 33 and the lowest responsibility in the Philippines is Utility Worker with a Salary grade of 1. Salary grades in the Philippine government run from 1-33 and Salary grade 33 is the highest pay.
Coast Guard Ranks in the Philippines
Here are the coast guard ranks in the Philippines.
| POSITION | TYPE |
| Admiral | Commissioned |
| Vice-Admiral / (VADM) | Commissioned |
| Rear Admiral / (RADM) | Commissioned |
| Commodore / (COMMO) | Commissioned |
| Captain / (CAPT) | Commissioned |
| Commander / (CDR) | Commissioned |
| Lieutenant Commander / (LCDR) | Commissioned |
| Lieutenant / (LT) | Commissioned |
| Lieutenant Junior Grade / (LTJG) | Commissioned |
| Ensign (ENS) | Commissioned |
| Auxiliarist First Class (AUX1) | Enlisted Personnel |
| Auxiliarist Second Class (AUX2) | Enlisted Personnel |
| Auxiliarist Third Class (AUX3) | Enlisted Personnel |
| Auxiliarist Fourth Class (AUX4) | Enlisted Personnel |
| Lieutenant Senior Grade / (LTSG) | Ranked Insignia |
| Master Chief Petty Officer / (MCPO) | Ranked Insignia |
| Senior Chief Petty Officer / (SCPO) | Ranked Insignia |
| Petty Officer First Class / (PO1) | Ranked Insignia |
| Petty Officer Second Class/ (PO2) | Ranked Insignia |
| Petty Officer Third Class / (PO3) | Ranked Insignia |
| Seaman First Class / (SN1) | Ranked Insignia |
| Seaman Second Class / (SN2) | Ranked Insignia |
| Seaman / (SMN) | Ranked Insignia |
How to get a Job in PCG
The Philippine Coast Guard prefers male applicants because of the nature of the job. There is also a height requirement, which is at least five feet in height. In addition to this, you must have a degree diploma, and you must have passed the Civil Service Commission exam—your rating must at least be 82%. You must also be at least 18 years old but not more than 26 years old.
If you are not a college graduate, the PCG considers applicants that took the TESDA course. TESDA is a government-sponsored learning program to develop the skills of Filipinos.
You can get a job in the Philippine Coast Guard in a similar way that you do in other Philippine government branches, especially similar to the Armed Forces of the Philippines. If they are hiring., you must prepare your documents and go to their office or satellite offices.
Here are the qualifications:
- Natural-born Filipino citizen
- Good moral character
- Single
Here are some courses you can take in TESDA that will help you get into the Philippine Coast Guard:
- Automotive Wiring
- Harness Assembly
- Automotive Electrical Assembly
- Marine Electricity
- Automotive Mechanical Assembly
- Computer System Servicing
- Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW)
- Auto Engine Rebuilding
- Computer Programming
- Automotive Servicing
- Computer Technician
- Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW)
- Automotive Electrical Assembly
- Driving
- Computer Hardware Servicing
- Electrical Installation and Maintenance
If you are interested in any of these, take the course from TESDA and pass the required grades. Then, you can apply at the Philippine Coast Guard.
Take note that the TESDA courses are only necessary if you are not a diploma holder of a college degree. Specifically, if you only finished high school, then you must take one of these courses.
If you meet these requirements, you must prepare your documents and submit them to your nearest Philippine Coast Guard Office.
Here are the documents:
- Accomplished PCGABT Application form; you can download this from the PCG website
- Accomplished Personal Information Sheet form; you can download this from the PCG website
- Copy of your Transcript of records
- Copy of your diploma
- The birth certificate that was authenticated by the PSA
Once you submit these documents, wait for a call for the schedule of your exam. From there, you will know the next steps if you pass the entrance tests.
Conclusion
The Philippine Coast Guard is a prestigious department of the Philippine government. Here, you serve to protect the sovereignty of the Philippine waters. The starting salary is small, but you can climb the ranks and become an Admiral one day.
Good evening , How to apply PCG??