Pre-Employment Medical Examination (PEME)  of Filipino Crew 22 October 2001 No.01-006 It is in the tendency that crew claim caused by seamen's death and disability is substantially increasing in the recent years and we understand the members shall be anxious about this problem. Especially, crew claim caused by sickness of Filipino crew shall be one of the big problems for the members because, under the standard contract of employment of Filipino seafarer, the shipowners are obliged to pay a large sum of medical expenses and compensation for death and disability caused by illness which was contracted on board the vessel, only by the reason that such illness have been developed on board the vessel even though the seamen had already been suffered from the illness before employment. The best method of preventing this kind of claim is not employing a seaman having a health problem, and the members shall be fully recognized the importance of the Pre- Employment Medical Examination(PEME). In this association, we have investigated about PEME in the Philippines through our local correspondent in Manila and formulate the comprehensive PEME scheme as Japan P&I PEME Package, which is taken effect on October 1st 2001, which we hereby introduce to the members. In the meantime, we recommend the 6 clinics to perform PEME which are sufficiently equipped and offered an advantageous rates for our PEME Package. Although we understand that, as the number of test items are many in comparing with the conventional tests required by the regulations, the PEME introduced herewith will result in increasing of the costs for the PEME which the members bear, since we believe that it is highly effective to prevent a huge crew claim before they would occur, we sincerely suggest the members to utilize this scheme. If you have any question, please contact Crew Claim Section, Claims Department of Japan P&I Club Tokyo(Tel:81-3-3662-7226). 1.Tests carried out under Japan P&I PEME Packag