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4/2018 Volume 14 Issue 3

Creating Greater Opportunities in Maritime for the Filipino Youth

Endeavoring to create greater opportunities for Filipino youth to pursue meaningful careers in the maritime industry, IMO Maritime Ambassador Carlos Salinas through Philippine Transmarine Carriers, Inc. (PTC), has strengthened its partnership with maritime party ANGKLA and the Department of Education (DepEd) to expand the delivery of the landmark Maritime Senior High School (SHS) Program.

This commitment was further manifested as PTC’s official training arm, the Philippine Center for Advanced Maritime Simulation and Training, Inc. (PHILCAMSAT), inked a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the Santiago Syjuco Memorial Integrated Secondary School (SSMISS) in Malabon City to begin offering the Maritime SHS Program to its students this coming 2018 – 2019 School Year.

“One of the International Maritime Organization’s missions is to promote sustainable shipping for growth in the world and this is done through effective cooperation. The cooperation being established today truly reflects the IMO spirit,” said Ambassador Salinas during the momentous occasion. “As an IMO ambassador, I carry with me the responsibility of letting the world understand the incomparable importance of global shipping. Through Project Balanghay (maritime high school program), we are one step closer to not just imparting the value of this industry to the youth, but more importantly, to helping them realize their dreams built on a life at sea, conquering waves, breaking barriers and pursuing excellence.”

The MOA was signed between Dr. Fortunato Barcelon Abude, Principal of SSMISS, and Philbright L. Ang Ti, Executive Director of PHILCAMSAT last March 23 at First Maritime Place in Makati. Aside from sharing its expertise through curriculum inputs, classroom lectures and industry familiarization talks, PHILCAMSAT will also give students the opportunity to gain valuable hands-on training by providing access to the Centre’s world-class training facilities.

“Project Balanghay was named after the ancient Filipino vessel whose every voyage was fueled by hope, establishing dreams and creating a future for your own family and your community,” explained PHILCAMSAT’s Philbright Ang. “Our wish is that like the Balanghay, the Maritime SHS becomes a vehicle for Filipino students to accomplish the dreams that they have for themselves and their respective communities.”

Displaying their strong support for the project during the MOA signing were Cong. Federico Sandoval II, District Representative of Malabon City; Cong. Jesulito A. Manalo of ANGKLA; Capt. Ronald Enrile, ANGKLA Vice Chairman; and other representatives from the DepEd. Also present at the event were members of the PTC Group Management including CEO Gerardo A. Borromeo; Edgar Milla, Chief Operations Officer; Capt. Stan Santiago, Vice President for Crewing; and C/Engr. Peter Lugue, AVP for Crewing and Ambassador Carlos C. Salinas.

As a city surrounded by waters and with much of its livelihood tied strongly to its dynamic port and fish trading industry, Malabon stands to greatly benefit from having a Maritime SHS. “Today is not just a MOA signing, it is a new beginning for the children and the people of Malabon whose lives will be changed because of this initiative,” expressed Cong. Sandoval. “That is why I am very happy that we have found like-minded partners in PTC and ANGKLA to help us bring our students to the fulfillment of their dreams by ensuring that there will be employment waiting for them upon graduating from this program.”

“As they say, it takes a whole village to raise a child,” added Helen Grace Go of the Department of Education, Malabon Schools Division Office. “That is why we need people to help us realize our dreams for our learners. Today is the start of a big dream coming into fruition not just for the learners of Malabon but for the nearby cities of Caloocan and Navotas as well. We are very thankful to PTC and ANGKLA for supporting us in developing a productive, responsible citizenry that will be coming from the crop of learners that we have right now.”

With a curriculum developed by PTC and PHILCAMSAT in compliance with international standards in maritime education and training, the Maritime SHS Program aims to educate and train senior high school students by providing them with technical skills that would equip them to seek employment on board upon completion of their secondary education. Initially pilot- tested by PTC, ANGKLA and the DepEd among three schools in Metro Manila, Visayas and Mindanao, the Program is now being offered in the technical-vocational-livelihood (TVL) track and pre-baccalaureate track in more than 60 schools nationwide.

“It has been the vision of ANGKLA to put together the public and the private sectors, such as PTC and the DepEd, so that people who do not have a path towards achieving their goal will be given the opportunity to do so,” said Cong. Manalo. “That’s how the Maritime SHS will be able to equip students with the knowledge and training to be able to board vessels, live a life at sea and become successful officers someday.”

PTC Employees Pledge for a Plastic-Free WorldIn commemoration of PTC’s 39th year anniversary, the company has launched a marine protection campaign entitled “Plastic-Free Starts with Me, at PTC.”

The new initiative is aligned with one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations - Life Below Water. Caring for our marine environment is one of several ways that PTC reinforces its commitment as a responsible corporate citizen.

The campaign will involve a series of year-long activities to introduce the ecobrick and encourage a broad-based adoption of its use. The company aims to develop meaningful activities that will help reduce the amount of non-biodegradable plastics that find their way into our oceans, coastal areas and waterways, creating a major marine environment concern globally.

An ecobrick is a plastic bottle packed tight with used, clean and dry plastic to create a building block for constructing modular furniture, garden spaces, walls and even full-scale buildings. Ecobricks are a collaboration-powered technology that provides a zero-cost solution for individuals and organizations to help stop pollution and start envisioning a healthier way of living with the cycles of life.

The first phase of the campaign was kicked-off through a film showing of the award-winning documentary “A Plastic Ocean” by journalist Craig Leeson attended by PTC Group employees. The film showcases the current state of our oceans and the plight of marine animals living among the estimated 5 trillion pieces of plastic rubbish generated by humans. A demonstration of how to make ecobricks followed the film showing.

The ecobricks collected from employees during the first phase of the campaign will be used to make plant boxes for PTC’s Brigada Eskwela beneficiary school this coming 2018-2019 academic year. The rest of the bottles will be donated to designated ecobrick collection centers.

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Seaspan Holds Manila Forum 2018Seaspan Ship Management Ltd. highlighted the value of customer service as a key to operational excellence during its Manila Forum 2018 held last March 24 at the Makati Diamond Hotel. Hemraj Shetty, Fleet Personnel Director, welcomed the attending Seaspan officers and crew along with Capt. Richard Ash, Regional Crewing Representative. This was followed by presentations on Bridge Operations by Erik Nielsen, Senior Vice President for Operations/DPA, Safety Navigation and Cargo Care by Sarnbir Singh Sawhney, Marine Superintendent and Mind Mapping by Rhys Del Rosario, Assistant Fleet Personnel Manager. Participants also enhanced their knowledge on good engineering practices, social media etiquette and improving vessel conditions through interactive discussions and sessions.

Northern Star Network Continues Expansion in Northern LuzonThe Northern Star network of Caltex Service Stations continues its expansion with the opening of two new sites in the first quarter of 2018. This adds to the seven stations that went operational in 2017. Four more sites are currently being constructed as part of the company’s plans of opening a total of 15 new sites by the end of the year.

The two stations that opened in 2018 were Caltex San Nicolas, the fifth in Ilocos Norte, and Caltex Iba, the first in Zambales.

As the Branded Marketer of the biggest territory in the country granted to a Filipino company by Chevron Philippines, Inc., Northern Star is currently present in 15 provinces with a total network of 50 Caltex service stations.

MARINA Announces Mandatory SCS Registration The Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) has announced that registration with the Seafarers Certification System (SCS) is now a mandatory requirement for all seafarers applying for an examination, assessment and/or certification from the agency.

Only seafarers who have registered with the SCS are eligible to apply for the following: theoretical examination for merchant marine officers; assessment of competence of Deck and Engineer Officers, Deck and Engine Ratings, Electro-Technical Officers (ETO) and Electro-Technical Ratings (ETR); Certificate of Proficiency (COP) under Regulations IV, V and VI of the STCW Convention, 1978, as amended; and MARINA ID.

To register with the SCS, seafarers may log on to http://stcw.marina.gov.ph/scsv2.0/ or visit www.marina.gov.ph for more details.

Gerardo Borromeo at the US-Philippines Society Board Meeting

PTC CEO Gerardo Borromeo joined business, professional and civic leaders from the Philippines and the United States at the US-Philippines Society Board Meeting Program held from February 18 to 21, 2018. Mr. Borromeo is currently one of the directors of the organization.

The four-day program offered a timely opportunity for members to promote trade and investment ties between the two countries through productive exchange of views with senior government officials on shared regional and bilateral concerns.

The Society’s bi-national board, led by co-chairs Manuel V. Pangilinan and Ambassador John D. Negroponte, were personally welcomed by President Rodrigo R. Duterte at the Malacañang Palace last February 20 where the President underscored a continuing commitment to the welfare of Overseas Filipino Workers.

The group’s itinerary also included a visit to the city of Marawi in Mindanao where members met with displaced families in evacuation sites. As part of their mission, the Society presented a donation to help ongoing humanitarian relief efforts for the residents who were affected by the Marawi strife last year.

Headquartered in Washington, the Society was launched in 2012 with the mission of enhancing and strengthening the Philippine-U.S. relationship and, simultaneously, raising awareness of today’s Philippines through programs on business, governance, culture, shared history, education, strategic issues, and conflict resolution.

Exmar Christens New LPG VesselExmar Ship Management held a naming ceremony for its newest LPG vessel delivered by Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction at the Hanjin Shipyard in Subic, Zambales last March 13, 2018. The vessel is among the eight LPG carriers to ever be built and delivered in the country as part of a large ship building initiative in the Philippines. Christened as Koksijde after a coastal town in Exmar’s home country of Belgium, the vessel is set to enter the TGP-Exmar Joint Venture fleet. Present at the ceremony were PTC Chairman, Ambassador Carlos Salinas and PTC COO, Edgar Milla.

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TechnoPro Reaches Out to IT Students through LifeLinksRepresentatives of TechnoPro Design, a leading Japanese technical solution company, were recently in the country to conduct recruitment activities for information technology (IT) students in cooperation with LifeLinks International Resources, Inc.

Ms. Mariko Sawashi, representative of TechnoPro Inc., and Ms. Misao Shintani, Project Consultant for TechnoPro Inc., took part in the Rizal Technological University Job Fair in Pasig last March 14. They then visited the Technological University of the Philippines in Manila the following day to conduct a company orientation and initial interview among students interested in pursuing IT careers in Japan. Shortlisted applicants from these activities then attended follow-up interviews from March 27 to 28.

PTC Conducts ERT Training and Fire Drill In line with the company’s Emergency Preparedness Program, the PTC Group organized a series of training seminars for members of the PTC Emergency Response Team throughout the month of March. The seminar was designed to equip participants with the proper knowledge on how to act and ensure their safety during emergency situations such as a fire, earthquake or security threats. Participants were also familiarized with the Building Code (RA 6541), Fire Code of the Philippines (RA 9514) and the PTC Security Manual (Section on Bomb Threats, Gun Toting, Theft and Robbery). To put their learnings to actual use, the ERT members underwent a Fire Hose and Extinguisher Hands-On Training last March 24 at the Makati City Central Fire Station.

On March 22, the PTC Group conducted its annual Fire, Earthquake and Emergency Evacuation Drill in coordination with the Makati City Fire Department. Participating in the simultaneous drill were all occupants of First Maritime Place as well as employees of LifeLinks, Health Metrics, Inc., Constellation Travels, Inc., Northern Star Energy and ACM Holdings in their respective offices.

PTC Switches Off Lights for Mother EarthAs a symbol of its commitment to saving Mother Earth, PTC switched off all non-essential lights at First Maritime Place last March 24 from 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm for this year’s celebration of Earth Hour. Earth Hour is a global environment movement organized by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) that started as a symbolic lights out event in Sydney, Australia back in 2007. By “going dark,” Earth Hour participants hope to shine a light on the importance of climate action and build support for biodiversity with a focus on forests, oceans and wildlife conservation.

C/E Peter Lugue, PTC AVP for Crewing Operations-Cargo Division, speaks to Technip Global Maritime Professionals (GMPs) and their families during an orientation conducted by Family and Crew Relations last March 16, 2018 at the Legaspi Room of First Maritime Place. During the session, attendees were briefed about PTC and its services, their responsibilities as GMPs to their principal and their families, their HMO plan and how to access relevant government benefits.

Constellation Travels, Inc. (CTI) was honored with the Gold Award for Passenger Sales by Philippine Airlines (PAL) for their invaluable contribution to PAL’s overall sales in 2017 during a ceremony held last March 22 at the JPark Hotel in Cebu. The accolade is a testament to the company’s consistent outstanding sales performance after previously receiving the PAL Silver Award from 2013 to 2015. The award was received by Mr. Marnic Adriano, Head for Operations of CTI from PAL’s Mr. Jaime Bautista, President; Mr. Ryan Uy, Vice President for Sales; and Mr. Bong Velasco, Senior AVP for Sales – Philippines.

Generika drugstore has opened a branch at the Makati clinic of Health Metrics Inc. to provide PTC Global Maritime Professionals and their families a more convenient access to affordable and quality medicine and health supplies. The outlet is located at the ground floor of Merry Land Plaza, 1159 Chino Roces Avenue, San Antonio Village. Store hours are from 6 am to 7 pm from Monday to Friday and from 6 am to 3 pm on Saturdays.

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