The management of the Philippine Merchant Marine Academy (PMMA), the country’s premier maritime school, is urging President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to consider the urgency of passing a bill aiming to transform the PMMA into the Philippine National Maritime Academy (PNMA).

 

“We need to delve into the importance of this measure relative to the bigger critical issues of the country, which are issues on the West Philippine Sea, the blue economy, defense modernization, job generation, issues in the European Maritime Safety Agency, and the Magna Carta for Seafarers,” said PMMA Superintendent, Commodore Joel Abutal in a statement on Wednesday.

 

According to Abutal, House Bill 6503, authored and filed by Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, seeks to upgrade and broaden PMMA's present mandate under Republic Act 3680, its original charter enacted in 1963. This is to gain access to more government funding and to focus not only on producing marine officers but graduates for the broader economy as well as defense and law enforcement needs of the country.

“The consolidated version has just passed the Committee Hearing on 23 July 2024. It is not merely a name change, but a new beginning for a strategic realignment to empower the government-funded maritime academy to become a global leader in maritime education and training,” Abutal explained.

Further, he said the new vision and mission of the PNMA shall encompass the two decades of EMSA issues and concerns, the challenge of industrial revolution 4.0, and the speedy evolution of shipping to autonomous vessels.

Renaming PMMA to PNMA would also result in an enhanced research and development to focus on national needs, as PNMA shall prioritize research relevant to the Philippines' maritime challenges, such as: Sustainable fisheries management, Coastal zone management, Marine pollution control, Maritime security and defense, Development of renewable marine energy, among others. PNMA could collaborate with industry partners to conduct applied research and develop innovative solutions for the maritime sector.

“PNMA shall contribute to strengthening national maritime capabilities. PNMA could train personnel for various maritime sectors, including the Philippine Coast Guard, Navy, Fisheries and Aquaculture, Maritime Transportation, Offshore Oil and Gas, and Marine Tourism. This would contribute to a more robust and diverse maritime workforce, capable of meeting the evolving needs of the industry and the country’s security,” he said.

He further explained that renaming PNMA could forge stronger partnerships with international maritime institutions. (RAFFY AYENG)