SAN NARCISO, Zambales — The government will continue pushing for the advancement of maritime education in the country, with the hope that the initiatives of the government will usher “in a new breed of Filipino sailors.”

This was the assurance by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in his message for the 201st Commencement Exercises of the Philippine Merchant Marine Academy (PMMA) “MANDAGAYAN” Class of 2024 in Zambales on Tuesday, July 30.

The 303-strong MANDAGAYAN Class of 2024 (Magigiting na Mandaragat, Tagapagpanatili ng Kapayapaan at Kaunlaran ng Bansang Laya) is composed of 150 candidates from the College of Marine Engineering and 153 candidates from the College of Marine Transportation.

“We assure you that we will continue to improve our country’s maritime education sector to make it more responsive to the evolving needs of our nation and the global maritime industry,” he said in a speech read by Presidential Assistant on Maritime Concerns Secretary Andres Centino.

Among the initiatives the government is taking is the revised standards for the Bachelor of Science in Marine Transportation and Bachelor of Science in Marine Engineering programs issued through a joint memorandum by the Maritime Industry Authority (MIA) and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).

According to Marcos, the policy also includes the procedures for monitoring and evaluating maritime higher education institutions.

“This helps guarantee that your education meets the highest global standards in line with the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping for Seafarers,” he said.

In February this year, the President issued Executive Order No. 55, which provides for the adoption of the 10-year Maritime Industry Development Plan (MIDP) 2028.

The MIDP 2028 aims to upskill and reskill the maritime workforce, improve their employability, and ensure their continuous growth and development in an ever-evolving sector, among others.

“With all the initiatives the government is pursuing in the maritime sector, I am certain that we will be ushering in a new breed of Filipino sailors who will change our maritime landscape and even the rest of the world for the better,” the President said.

Secretary Centino served as President Marcos’ representative during the graduation rites, signing of the memoranda of agreement among the Philippine Merchant Marine Academy (PMMA), Carnival Cruise Line (CCL), and Crossworld Marine Services, Inc. (CMSI), and the groundbreaking ceremony of two new training facilities within the PMMA Complex. |PND