The MARINO Party-list on Thursday celebrated its 6th anniversary by signing a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) which establishes MARINA’s satellite office at the MARINO Action Center (MAC) in Ermita, Manila, where seafarers can submit documents needed for the Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW).

The MOA was signed in the presence of representatives from different maritime groups and manning agencies, including officials from the Associated Marine Officers’ and Seamen’s Union of the Philippines (AMOSUP).

“We in MARINO party-list are happy to mark our sixth anniversary as an organization by opening MARINA’s satellite office here at MAC… Never before has MARINA, the executive agency devoted to seafarer affairs, worked as closely as now with the seafarer representative in Congress. We hope this partnership will continue, and we are confident it will deliver more benefits to seafarers if we work together,” said MARINO Party-list First Representative Sandro Gonzalez.

The agreement will ensure easy access for seafarers to submit the needed documents for their STCW application, which is one of the requirements for local and overseas employment.

“We are happy for this opportunity to work with MARINO Party-list through this satellite office as we seek to bring our services closer to where our seafarers are. The MARINA administration hopes that this will be the start of more joint ventures with the MARINO Party-list for the betterment of the lives of our seafarers,” said MARINA Administrator Robert Empedrad.

The MOA signing was witnessed by Senator Joel Villanueva of the Senate Committee on Labor, Employment, and Human Resources Development, Manila Mayor Isko Moreno, Manila 5th District Congressman Crystal Bagatsing, Manila City Council Majority Floor Leader Joel Chua, and Manila City Council Assistant Majority Floor Leader Joey Hizon.

“MARINO alone cannot accomplish what we have done today, were it not for the support of the leadership and staff of MARINA and Dr. Oca and the membership of AMOSUP. The opening of the MARINA satellite office here is a victory of stakeholders working together for the Filipino seafarer,” Gonzalez said.