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By Mark Louie P. Roxas, Correspondent
SAN ANTONIO, Zambales: Foreign shipping
companies need more Filipino seafarers to address the looming crisis
brought about by the shortage of manpower in international maritime
industry, according to Transportation and Communications Secretary
Leandro Mendoza.
“Filipino seafarers remain the top choice in
the global maritime industry which is presently facing shortage in
manpower,” Mendoza said in his speech as Guest of Honor during the
185th graduation rites of the Philippine Merchant Marine Academy (PMMA)
here.
Mendoza urged the 196 PMMA graduates to help
maintain the nation’s distinction as the seafaring capital of the
world. Seventeen graduates received masteral degrees in shipping
business management, and in maritime education.
In a separate speech, PMMA president, Rear
Admiral Fidel Diñoso said that the Philippines takes advantage in
turning the global maritime crisis into “great opportunities” by
producing more competent Filipino seafarers.
“Our country, being the world’s top supplier
of seafarers, should produce more highly competent Filipino
seamen,” Diñoso said as he urged both government and the private
sector to work together in training more maritime officers.
“The number of Filipino maritime officers is
decreasing while the demand in international maritime is on the
rise,” Diñoso said.
He added that Filipino seafarers have been
contributing to the country’s economic development programs
through their dollar remittances.
PMMA is currently upgrading its educational
standards on ship operation, maintenance, port servicing and latest
trends in life-saving and fire-fighting techniques in order to
maintain the global competitiveness of Filipino seafarers.
“PMMA will keep our seafarers abreast with
capabilities of other countries,” Diñoso added.
The academy has been recognized as one of the
maritime educational institutions in Asia which offers modern
training equipment like the Ship Bridge and Deck simulator, and
training ship.
The PMMA, the country’s oldest and the
premiere maritime academy, is mandated to produce more naval
officers and international maritime personnel.
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