Thursday, September 24, 2015

2012: Seventeenth National Seafarers' Day


The Seventeenth    National Seafarers' Day was celebrated on  September 30, 2012   with the theme "MARINONG PILIPINO:DAKILA PA RIN ANG KAGITINGAN! " at the Philippine Coast Guard.



Former president Fidel V. Ramos earlier issued on July 9, 1996 Proclamation No. 828 declaring August 18 as National Seafarers Day wherein  the Apostleship of the Sea (AOS) was tasked to coordinate with the public and private sector in   activities related to the celebration of said event. The purpose of the Proclamation is to give due recognition to the vital role of Filipino seafarers towards the development of the Philippines as a maritime country. Later,  Proclamation No.1094 was issued in 1997 by President Ramos which moved NSD    to every  last Sunday of September every year. 


The Filipino seafarers are not only major contributors to the country’s economic growth, they are also ‘saint potentials’, thus said  Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle during the 2012   NSD celebration. The archbishop was referring to Saint Lorenzo Ruiz and San Pedro Calungsod as he noted that  these two martyrs of the Philippine Catholic Church  were seafarers and missionaries at the same time before they became saints. He added that Ruiz and Calungsod sailed to other countries and died for a mission: “to teach the Good News.”
“You should be instruments for what is good work and not of temptations,” he added. 
“The Filipinos today are sailing everywhere. Bring with you the best of the Filipinos.

The  second  batch of   recipients for the Ten Outstanding Maritime Students of the Philippines (TOMSP) search (in line with the National Seafarers Day) were awarded on that day.  It  gave recognition to students for being academically excellent, highly competent in practice, in good moral standing and active in their respective communities. 


1. Ace R. Alvarado- John B. Lacson Colleges Foundation- Bacolod Inc.
 
2.Goodfrey A. Bolivar John B. Lacson Colleges Foundation- Bacolod Inc.
3.Edrian T. Echague  Philippine Merchant Marine School-Las Piñas
4.John Eric A. Flores  Mariners' Polytechnic Colleges Foundation, Baras, Camarines Sur
5.GC Rey L. Gonzalbo  Philippine Merchant Marine Academy
6.Thaddea Pearl M. Hangad-University of Cebu, Lapu Lapu & Mandaue
7.Mac Edimer P. MacutayTechnological Institute of the Philippines, Manila
8.Felix B. Reyes\NAMEI Polytechnic Institute
9.Mark Collin P. Solas John B. Lacson Foundation Maritime University-Arevalo, Iloilo
10.Daniel T. Tumadiang Jr. John B. Lacson Foundation Maritime University-Arevalo, Iloilo.

The    winners of the 2012  Oratorical contest for maritime students  are
Milton Klark A. Borja as Champion Orator of Maritime Academy of Asia & the Pacific (MAAP) Bataan; Virgello Orbiso, Jr, 2nd Place of Cebu Technological University, Carmen, Cebu and Gio Q. Pastrana, 3rd Place of Lyceum International Maritime Academy (LIMA) Batangas.

Former president Fidel V. Ramos earlier issued on July 9, 1996 Proclamation No. 828 declaring August 18 as National Seafarers Day wherein  the Apostleship of the Sea (AOS) was tasked to coordinate with the public and private sector in   activities related to the celebration of said event. The purpose of the Proclamation is to give due recognition to the vital role of Filipino seafarers towards the development of the Philippines as a maritime country. Later,  Proclamation No.1094 was issued in 1997 by President Ramos which moved NSD    to every  last Sunday of September every year. 


Ironically, the Philippines almost lost its slot on the historical first thirty ratifying countries of the Maritime Labour Convention of 2006 (MLC2006).  It took the Philippines six years to ratify MLC2006 on August 13, 2012 after it became a signatory of the so called international magna carta for seafarers rights. The convention sets out minimum standards and fair working conditions for seafarers worldwide. Philippines is the thirtieth (30th) country to ratify MLC 2006 out of the 314 signatories and one of the first thirty ratifying countries required for the convention to take effect.

Per 2012   government data, there were  366,865 documented seafarers deployed abroad with employment contracts approved by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA)    with dollar remittances reaching US$4.835 billion.   Present data showed that there were 367,166 Filipino seafarers deployed in 2013  with dollar remittances of US$5.575 billion in 2014. 


The 22nd National Seafarers Day is all  set on September 24,2017  with the theme "Marinong Filipino: Nag-uugnay sa Mundo!". 

The #NSD22 #NSD2017 activities nationwide led by the #ApostleshipoftheSea ( #AOS ) include the Memorial at Sea, High Mass, Oratorical/ Art/ Photo Contest, Harana by the Bay, Boodlefight, Karaoke challenge, and the Search for Top Ten Outstanding Maritime Students. One of the highlights is the Grand Parade to be participated in by more than 4000 stakeholders from maritime schools, government agencies, manning agencies, training centers, maritime organizations, unions, families and private institutions


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