QUEZON CITY, PHILIPPINES – The Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) emphasized that skilled and competent labor force is what makes the maritime industry, as well as the Philippine economy, thrive at 29th Annual General Assembly of the Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities Commission on Accreditation (PACUCOA) on 04 December 2018.
Gracing the event, MARINA officer-in-charge Vice-Admiral Narciso Vingson Jr stressed that keeping the momentum in the production of seafaring professionals, through excellent efforts, will successfully meet the demands of the future of the maritime, specifically in seafaring industry – of course with the huge contribution of maritime higher education institutions (MHEIs).
“These visible efforts of our MHEIs in implementing the Bachelor of Science in Marine Transportation (BSMT) and Bachelor of Science in Marine Engineering (BSMarE) programs are a key factor in maintaining a pool of highly qualified seafarers and maritime professionals not only for global shipping, but also for our domestic maritime community. Therefore, we express our appreciation along with our support to continue our close coordination,” Vice-Admiral Vingson stated.
Vice-Admiral Vingson also encouraged the PACUCOA to continue to serve as a catalyst in ensuring quality education and training for Filipino seafarers, as well as in developing a seafaring workforce that is globally-competent, and compliant to local and international standards.
With the exponential increase in the number of Filipino seafarers carrying the world’s trade safely and efficiently, Vice-Admiral Vingson expressed his appreciation to the MHEIs for producing grade-A timber seafarers whose dedication and competence is highly sought-after worldwide.
Finally, as the MARINA is currently doing its job in employing the ‘whole government approach,’ Vice-Admiral Vingson underscored that joint initiatives with the private sectors, more importantly from MHEIs, will keep the country’s global standing as one of the major providers of skilled seafarers.
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