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6|2019 Volume 15 Issue 6

Whitespace Manila, Makati, June 20 – 15 outstanding Global Maritime Professionals (GMPs) were honored at the fourth edition of the PTC Seafarer Awards held at Whitespace Manila last June 20, 2019.

Spearheaded by Philippine Transmarine Carriers, Inc., the bi-annual search pays tribute to the exemplary achievements and contributions of PTC GMPs to the country and the global maritime industry. This year’s celebration is extra special at it comes as part of the year-long 40th anniversary of the company.

First launched in 2012, this year’s ceremony recognized PTC GMPs of all ranks onboard and onshore who were nominated in four very distinct categories: Outstanding Performance, Heroism and Bravery,

Financial Management and Community Service

“By simply doing their jobs, our PTC GMPs demonstrate the immense significance and indispensability of the roles that they fulfill both in the maritime industry and in our daily lives,” said Capt. Stan Santiago, PTC Vice President for Crewing Operations. “But what makes our PTC

Seafarer Awards finalists even more admirable is their commitment to go beyond the call of duty in their pursuit of professional excellence, to risk their lives to save others and secure the safety of their vessels, to pursue entrepreneurial initiatives to help provide employment

to their fellow Filipinos and provide humble servitude for the benefit of their community.”

The company honored Capt. Manuel Balinquit of Ugland Marine Management as the PTC GMP of the Year Award for Outstanding Performance. Capt. Balinquit has been acknowledged as a highly-competent, mission-oriented and dependable leader onboard. He also dedicates his time onshore to giving back to his community through

organized relief efforts for victims of natural calamities, feeding programs, coastal cleanups, and wildlife conservation activities. A risk taker, he also led the officers

and crew of MV Star Norita in their heroic rescue of two Korean fishermen in Russia last August 2018. For his accomplishments, he was nominated as Seafarer of the Year at the inaugural Crew Connect Global Industry Awards last

year and he has been commended by the local government of Legazpi, Albay and the Regional Office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

Able Seaman Franklin Tagle of Finnlines was named as the PTC GMP of the Year for Bravery and Heroism in recognition of his extraordinary and valiant

efforts to extinguish a fire that broke out onboard MV Finmill last March 15, 2019, saving both his vessel and the lives of the crew.

For his outstanding competence and dedication to his duties onboard the vessels of Komaya Shipping while successfully operating his own trucking business and a

decorative stones supply outlet, Chief Engineer Joel Fernan received the Outstanding GMP of the Year for Entrepreneurship Award.

Likewise honored with the Entrepreneurship Award were Bosun Eruel Meraña, Second Engineer Melvin Meraña, and Chief Officer Allan Meraña of Ugland Marine Management who collectively own

and manage “Mercraft Shipping” which has been commended by the local government of Polillo, Quezon for providing local residents with a fast, comfortable and reliable option for sea travel. The

brothers also operate a gas station called “Nor-Phil,” named in honor of Norway and PTC.

Second Engineer Sherraine Dominguez of Northern Marine Management received the PTC GMP of the Year for Community Service Award for her service to the community of Binmaley, Pangasinan and her alma mater

Caloocan Norte Elementary School in Pangasinan.

In support of the International Maritime Organization’s call for greater empowerment of women in the maritime industry through their #IAmOnBoard campaign, 2/E Sherraine Dominguez of Northern Marine Management and Chief

Officer Angie Mae Cagud were also recognized for their outstanding professionalism, competency and dedication to the seafaring profession that have contributed to the advancement of gender equality in the maritime and shipping industry. The

awards were presented to them by Ms. Carla S. Limcaoco, President of the PTC-CSJ Foundation and Co-Founder of the Women in Maritime Philippines Association (WIMPAHIL).

Chief Cook Ariel Iresare and Chief Cook Romeo Lababit, both from EXMAR, received Special Citations for their outstanding culinary skills and for winning the grand prize in the Festive Cooking Inter-Vessel Competition held in 2017 and 2018, respectively.

Other distinguished finalists who were also honorably recognized during the awarding ceremony were Chief Officer Angie Mae Cagud of Essberger Crewing Services, Chief Engineer John Regan Delos Santos of Seaspan Ship Management, Captain Aldwin Agpasa of Asiatic Lloyd

ShipManagement LLP, Able Seaman Alejandro Flores of Northern Marine Management-Stena, Chief Cook Gandhi Alarde of EXMAR, Second Engineer Samuel Cuballes of Ugland Marine Management, Electrician Leonardo Doroja of Finnlines, Chief Officer Gilbert Bune of Wallenius Marine,

and the officers & crew of Wallenius Marine’s MV Fidelio, Grindrod Shipping’s IVS Phinda, and Ugland Marine Management’s MV Star Norita.

“It was 1979 when Ambassador Salinas saw the unmatched potential in the Filipino Seafarer,” said PTC Chief Operations Officer Edgar Milla as he congratulated the winners and finalists. “And today, even after 40 years and counting, that unmatched potential still holds truth as the Philippines

continuously serves as the Seafaring Capital of the World.”

Health Metrics’ Dr. Abaya Wins IMH Scientific Article of the Year

PTC and PHILCAMSAT Named as Finalist for the Safety at Sea Awards

Two PTC Global Maritime Professionals and a member of the PTC Management Team were honored at the Maritime Industry Authority’s (MARINA) Outstanding Women in Maritime Awards held in celebration of the Day of the Seafarer last June 25 at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City. The Awards were organized in support of the

International Maritime Organization’s #IAmOnBoard campaign which calls for gender equality in seafaring and greater empowerment of women in maritime.

PTC’s three awardees - GMPs Angie Mae Cagud, Chief Officer of Transocean Shipmanagement; Sherraine Dominguez, Second

Engineer of Northern Marine Management Ltd.; and Ms. Normie Hernandez, PTC Family and Crew Relations (FCR) Manager

- were all honored with the Outstanding Woman of the Year Award for Community Service in recognition of

their work for the industry and their respective communities.

Ms. Hernandez leads PTC’s Family Crew Relations which fulfills the company’s commitment to provide purposeful lives to its Global Maritime Professionals (GMPs) and their families through programs designed to encourage

self-mastery, instill positive values, promote health and wellness, and teach financial literacy and entrepreneurship.

Over her past 10 years as a maritime professional, C/O Angie Mae Cagud provides scholarship grants to the students of Bangkal National High School in Alimodian, Iloilo through the “Adopt a Child, Build a School” program.

2/E Sherrain Dominguez has likewise been a very staunch supporter of education, helping provide school supplies for indigent pupils of Binmaley, Pangasinan, and financing the construction of perimeter walls for her alma mater of Caloocan Norte Elementary School in

Pangasinan.

MARINA’s search for Outstanding Women in Maritime recognizes the contribution of females engaged in the maritime industry who have shown unparalleled dedication and exceptional talent in their careers and have contributed in a positive way not just to the maritime industry, but to the greater community.

IMO Maritime Ambassador Carlos C. Salinas was recognized by the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) for his invaluable contributions and unwavering support of the agency on the occasion of MARINA’s 45th anniversary celebration.

The awarding ceremony, held last June 5, recognized the invaluable contributions of inter-agency partners and private stakeholders in enhancing the country’s shipbuilding and ship repair sector, the domestic and overseas shipping industries, as well as the education and training of maritime manpower. The event coincided with the inauguration of MARINA’s newly-constructed central office building located at Bonifacio Drive corner 20th Street, Port Area, Manila. Transportation Secretary Arthur P. Tugade was in attendance.

Dr. Toby Abaya, Medical Director of Health Metrics, has been recognized by the International Maritime Health Foundation for a scientific article he co-authored with Jose Jaime Lorenzo De Rivera, Saren Roldan, and Raymond Sarmiento.

The article “Does long-term length of stay on board affect the repatriation rates of seafarers?” published on the International Maritime Health (IMH) Journal in 2018 was named as the “IMH Scientific Article of the Year.” The study investigates whether a stay of more than 200 days can increase the risk of medical repatriation among Filipino seafarers and provides data that can be instrumental in the planning of schedules, work hours and contracts, as well as, the prevention of disease in seafarers.

The “IMH Scientific Article of the Year” recognizes the best and most relevant peer-reviewed, scientific work in maritime medicine and adjacent fields, published in the prior calendar year in the International Maritime Health.

The award was presented during the 15th International Symposium on Maritime Health (ISMH15) held at the HafenCity University in Hamburg, Germany last June 12 to 15. At the symposium, Dr. Abaya also participated in plenary sessions concerning digitalization in maritime medicine and safeguarding health & safety on board.

PTC, has been nominated as Maritime Employer of the Year, a category which seeks to recognize companies in the maritime sector whose commitment to safety and excellent working practices set them apart from industry rivals.

Areas of assessment include: staff investment, employee support programs and wellbeing initiatives, adherence to global regulations, evidence of excellent safety record and examples of best practice or industry-leading safety programs.

PHILCAMSAT, on the other hand, has been shortlisted for the Best Crew Training Program which recognizes standout training platforms created or run by an independent company that develop seafarer skills and ensure that crew comply with industry best practice and global regulation. These encompass any training and safety awareness initiatives or events that have notably improved crew safety practices or attitudes, either onshore or on board.

Safety at Sea has a proud history of promoting safe and secure work practices within the commercial shipping industry.

The Safety at Sea Awards recognize those who improve seafarer competence and risk management with innovations and achievements in the fields of training, operations, equipment and services. The awarding ceremony will be held on September 10, during London International Shipping Week, at the London Marriott Hotel.

Philippine Transmarine Carriers, Inc. (PTC) and its official training arm, the Philippine Center for Advanced Simulation and Training (PHILCAMSAT), have been named finalists for the prestigious Safety at Sea Awards 2019.

Furthermore, MARINA assured stakeholders of greater growth in the country’s maritime industry with the intensified implementation of the 10-year maritime industry development plan (MIDP).

PTC-CSJ Successfully Conducts Reading Camp in Muntinlupa Public Schools

Coach Tim Cone, regarded as the most accomplished coach in the history of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), visited PTC last June 24 to speak to members of the PTC Management Team on Leadership, Strategy Execution and Ownership. Currently the head coach of the Barangay Ginebra Basketball Team, Coach Tim is also a sought after motivational speaker on team work and leadership among many multinational companies across the country.

With 21 PBA championship titles to his name, Coach Tim emphasized the importance of creating an environment that will allow a team to grow and realize their full potential, whether on the basketball court or in the work place. “We didn’t win in a championship…we grew into a championship,” he said during his talk.

“There are no shortcuts to creating a championship team, it requires hard work and a willingness to commit to a process,” he continued. “Also remember that values determine the foundation of your team, so stay grounded to the values that you have as a company as this will guide your organization’s behavior.”

This is the second lecture in a series of talks designed to help PTC Group executives keep abreast on a wide range of topics including leadership, innovation, industry trends, business processes and other relevant issues locally and globally.

PTC-CSJ Foundation, in partnership with Synergeia Foundation, successfully completed the fourth edition of its annual Reading Camp held last April 10 through May 8. The reading camps were conducted among PTC-CSJ’s five partner-public schools in Muntinlupa: Bayanan Elementary School-Main, Lakeview Integrated School, Sucat Elementary School-Main, Muntinlupa Elementary School and Alabang Elementary School.

Implemented for 15 days during the students’ summer break, the Reading Camp utilizes a two-pronged approach – remedial reading and feeding – to help 490 non-readers and those needing further skills enhancement from Kinder to Grade 4 of the five Schools.

Prior to this year’s Reading Camp, 100 teachers from the Schools were trained by Synergeia President, Dr. Milwida Guevara, on teaching basic reading.

To measure improvement, Reading Camp participants’ pre-test and post-test scores were taken, with the comparative results showing an average increase from 40% to 84%, demonstrating the pupils’ mastery across seven literacy skills.

At the closing program, 122 or 25% of Reading Camp participants who had a perfect attendance were given story books from Ambassador Carlos Salinas in cooperation with Gig and the Amazing Sampaguita Foundation.

Also in attendance at the program were the Reading Camp participants’ parents and teachers whose efforts were rewarded with service credits by the Department of Education - Muntinlupa.

ACM Homes Foundation signed a partnership agreement with Kanggahan Elementary School in Trece Martires, Cavite last June 6. The partnership focuses on supporting the cultural enhancement of the school’s extracurricular program. There are currently 2,000 students enrolled in the school, mostly coming from a nearby resettlement area.

Through the support of the Foundation, the Kanggahan ES Rondalla group was formed and a formal turnover ceremony of musical instruments for an initial group of 40 rondalla members was held after the signing ceremony. Witnessing the turnover were regional officials of the Department of Education (DepEd) Cavite Division as well as local officials.

ACM Foundation President Tonette de Guzman and Executive Director Arlene Ramirez represented the Foundation at the turnover ceremony.

The rondalla instruments will be used by the first group of forty school children coming from the school’s grades 4 & 5 classes. They were chosen through auditions conducted by a DepEd accredited rondalla professor who will also be responsible for the training of the children. This is the first rondalla to be formed by a public school in Cavite and will hopefully revive interest in this Filipino musical tradition.

From this initial project, the next phase of the partnership will involve literacy enhancement programs focusing on reading skills. The school is located in an area where ACM Homes will soon be launching a project, thus will also be servicing the children of future ACM residents.

Photo shows (from L-R) Nelson Espejo, Rondalla Professor; Kagawad Jerwyn Layno of Brgy. Cabuco; Dr. Diana Liveta, School Principal; Dr. Helen B. Mendoza, Education Program Supervisor; Ms. Cherrylou D. Repia, Department of Education Schools Division Superintendent; Tonette de Guzman, President, ACM Foundation; and Arlene Ramirez, Executive Director, ACM Foundation.

Members of the Kanggahan ES Rondalla

Group

Coach Tim Cone Speaks on Leadership with PTC Management Team Members

PTC Partners with East West Health Care for Emergency RX Med-Assist

PTC Celebrates Annual Day of the Seafarer

PTC Passes MLC 2006 Audit

As part of its commitment to take care of its Global Maritime Professionals (GMP) and their families, PTC Inc. has partnered with East West Health Care to offer a voluntary healthcare program called “Emergency RX Med-Assist.”

Through the program, GMPs and their dependents may avail of emergency care benefits during qualified emergency situations or conditions in any certified hospital emergency room or facility, with additional daily cash allowance for each day of confinement. Qualified members just need to present their RX Med-Assist card to the accredited hospital to avail of their benefits.

For more details on the program, GMPs may visit the East West Health Care Helpdesk at the CDP Office, 4th Floor, First Maritime Place or send an email to ptc_helpdesk01@eastwesthealthcare.net.

In celebration of the annual Day of the Seafarer, PTC organized special activities designed to pay tribute to the company’s Global Maritime Professionals. Spearheaded by the International Maritime Organization, this year’s campaign, anchored on the hashtag #IAmOnBoard (gender equality), focused on the promotion of women at sea and the need for greater empowerment of women in the shipping industry.

In support of this campaign, PTC organized a talk on the essential role of seafarers’ wives in empowering their partners and their respective families conducted by Ms. Araceli De Guzman, Legal & Claims Department Manager. Participants enjoyed breakfast, a chance to have photos taken at the photo booth, raffle prizes and other surprise treats throughout the day.

PTC successfully passed its Maritime Labor Convention (MLC) 2006 Annual Certification audit conducted by the DNV-GL, represented by auditor Abner Esteban, last June 7, 2019. Zero Non-conformity and Zero Observation were noted during the audit.

The MLC 2006 is an international labor convention adopted by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and provides standards for the world’s first genuinely global industry. Widely known as the “seafarers’ bill of rights,” MLC 2006 aims to achieve decent work for seafarers and to secure economic interests through fair competition for quality ship owners. The renewal of the company’s MCL 2006 Certification is further testament to PTC’s strong commitment to uphold and protect the rights and welfare of its Global Maritime Professionals.

ACM Homes residents enjoyed a memorable Summer Night Bazaar last May 31 to June 2 at the Pacific Terraces Community Open Park in Imus, Cavite. For three consecutive evenings, residents and guests enjoyed hearty meals, shopping and lively entertainment provided by participating concessionaires and performers.

The festival was opened with a fun movie marathon where families enjoyed free popcorn. The following evening, audiences were awed by the showcase of the community’s homegrown singers and dancers at the Music & Talent Fest. Capping off the event was a Bingo Bonanza where lucky participants won a host of exciting prizes.

Now on its second year, the festival also served to launch the eco-friendly ACM E-tricycle which shuttled residents to the event from selected points within the community.

Following the launch of the company’s intensive Business Continuity Management System (BCMS) campaign, a series of seminars were organized to further educate PTC Group employees on the company’s official Recovery Plans as outlined in its BCMS.

The seminars were held on June 26 and 28 and conducted by Mr. Sergio Sarno, Safety & Security Director, and Mr. Manny Zamora, System Development Manager. Among the topics discussed included an overview of BCMS, its purpose, incident management, using the emergency call tree, risk assessment and recovery, and the role of each employee in the implementation of the system. An explanation of PTC’s BCMS policy which underscores the company’s commitment to ensure the continuity of its operations and services in the event of any incident was also conducted.

PTC CEO Gerardo Borromeo attended the Annual General Meeting of the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) at the Faroe Islands last June 12. During the meeting, the organization expressed its commitment to support IMO’s call for gender equality in shipping through the #IAmOnBoard campaign. Mr. Borromeo is currently a member of the ICS Board representing the Philippines.

Representing PTC, Karmel Avelino, daughter of PTC Inc. Executive Director of Business Development for Shipping Karen Avelino, placed fourth at the 10K category of the 15th FAME Fun Run, organized by the Filipino Association for Mariners’ Employment, Inc. The run was held last June 22 at the SM Mall of Asia grounds in celebration of the Day of the Seafarer and gathered runners from various sectors of the maritime industry.

Health Metrics, PTC’s preferred medical diagnostics partner, conducted a medical mission for seafarers in Iloilo City in celebration of the annual Day of the Seafarer last June 25. Its Makati and Pasay clinics also prepared special treats for seafarers who scheduled their PEME on the said date.

PTC-CSJ, Tokyo Omori Lions and GASFI Donate Books for Arayat StudentsThe PTC-CSJ Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of the PTC Group, together with its partners, the Tokyo Omori Lions Club and Gig and the Amazing Sampaguita Foundation, Inc. (GASFI), visited Arayat, Pamapanga last June 11 to donate books and school supplies to 420 elementary students of the municipality.

The students come from four public schools, namely Mapalad Elementary School, San Mateo Elementary School, San Juan Bano Elementary School and Tabuan Elementary School.

The PTC-CSJ Foundation, together with the Office of the IMO Ambassador Carlos C. Salinas, donated 200 copies of the children’s book “On Tatay’s Boat,” a book launched by the Foundation to encourage among the youth respect for the marine environment. Also included in the donation were 420 sets of eco-friendly notebooks and pencils and maritime children’s books published by GASFI for the students and libraries of the four schools. Representing the PTC Group during the donation were Capt. Ronald Enrile, Mr. Leslie Suntay and Mr. Roy Akker. The Tokyo Omori Lions Club, represented by Mr. Fumio Tamura, donated 420 Japanese leather school bags and 420 boxes of chocolates for the students.

Mayor Emmanuel Alejandrino of Arayat, together with the respective Barangay Captains of each area, welcomed the contingent and thanked them for the gifts that they presented to the students and the four schools of their municipality.