Vol. XXII No. 1 NOVEMBER - DECEMBER PHP THE COMPLEX QUESTION OF MARITIME EDUCATION

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1 Page NOVEMBER Seafarers' - DECEMBER remittances 2016 up 1.9 % in first half TINIG of NG 2016 MARINO32 1 Vol. XXII No. 1 NOVEMBER - DECEMBER PHP THE COMPLEX QUESTION OF MARITIME EDUCATION NEWS 25

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3 NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2016 TINIG NG MARINO 3 The Complex Question of Maritime Education BY JOANA CHRYSTAL VENTURA Next year, the auditors of the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) will descend on the Philippines yet again to ascertain whether the deficiencies that they have first brought up in 2006 have finally been addressed. It seems incredible that the country s compliance with STCW standards has been more than a decade in the making, but the truly astounding aspect of this situation is that despite this lengthy period, the fundamental flaws that the EMSA auditors have pointed out more than 10 years ago remain unaddressed. The past 10 years Those who ve been following the Philippines EMSA sage will recall that during the first audit in 2006, the country s STCW deficiencies were mostly due to the lack of effective monitoring and inadequate mechanisms for quality management implementation. It was patently obvious to the auditors that sketchy maritime schools with dubious facilities were producing ill-prepared graduates en masse. While it should be mentioned that the Philippines does have some excellent training facilities and noteworthy schools, these are easily outnumbered by profit-chasing institutions skating by with their poorly-qualified faculty and inadequate equipment. The bureaucratic side wasn t much better either: maritime training was a crazy juggling act involving no less than six different government agencies, none of whom specialized in international shipping regulations. EMSA POEA 2014 Seabased Deployment Data a. Officers: 93,686 b. Ratings: 154,963 c. Non-Marine: 151,402 d.others: 1,775 TOTAL: 401,826 auditors left the country with a clear message: we ll give you time to clean house, but you need to run a tighter ship if we are to continue doing business. Unfortunately, a return visit by 2010 left EMSA auditors with the impression that not much have been done, prompting a threat to ban Filipino officers from EU-flagged vessels, as they did with Georgia. But while Georgia s seafarers were not allowed to set off on any EU ship for more than a few years, the Philippines managed to merit an extension, and an offer of technical assistance from EMSA s own stable of experts. Pragmatically, a system-wide pull out of Filipino seafarers from the European fleet would cripple operations in a way that the Georgia embargo didn t, given that a huge chunk of European vessels were being manned by Filipino crews. There were two more audits in 2013; by this time, only the most oblivious could fail to realize that EMSA was practically begging the Philippines to get its act together, but no dice. Many local stakeholders were frustrated and indignant when they heard about the pre-emptive victory party that was hosted onboard a cruise ship anchored off Manila Bay by the then-marina chief Maximo Meija, more so because the money spent was pulled from a fund that was earmarked for hiring consultants in international maritime regulations. There was some ground gained with the ratification of EO 75, which assigned MARINA as the single oversight entity for STCW implementation, but the operationalization of this law seems to have created almost as much problems as it solved. This brings us to the present day: nowhere close to approval, despite a decade of well-intentions. POEA 2015 Seabased Deployment Area Data (Preliminary) a. Officers: 93,992 Deck: 50,238 Engine: 43,754 b. Ratings: 148,289 Deck: 104,430 Engine: 43,430 c. Cruise: 161,480 d. Others: 2,776 TOTAL: 406,531 Plan Bs all around The recent designation of Chief Al Amaro as Mejia s successor has encouraged stakeholders to be more optimistic with the Philippines chances in the 2017 audit. Chief Amaro, whose background is strongly mired in maritime practice and theory, has already won the admiration of fellow seafarers for promptly instituting reform throughout his agency. His leadership, so far, seems to be characterized by participative democracy and an allout effort to enlist those well-versed in the nuances of international shipping to help the Philippines get in shape. To the frustration of many, the Amaro administration s intentions are necessarily hampered by the need to peacefully co-exist with its bureaucratic counterparts, which profoundly limits its capabilities to institute changes. On the last week of October, Capt. Eleazar Diaz, Executive Director for the MARINA STCW Office, presided over a tri-partite discussion over proposed modifications to maritime curricula which would shorten the length of officer preparation by a few months. Despite favorable reception, the modifications had to be rejected. Capt. Diaz issued the following public statement regarding the matter: After the conduct of an in-depth review by MARINA STCW Office and maritime industry experts, it has been concluded that any revision of Management Level Courses and OIC Updating Courses will have significant impact on our international commitments (e.g. STCW Convention and Code, EMSA Audit and IMO Independent Audit) as well as to the Institutional relation of MARINA STCW Office with other government agencies such as the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), as mandated by R.A and its Implementing Rules and Regulations. MARINA STCW Office, therefore, is taking a stance NOT to effect any revision to the existing MLC and OIC Updating Courses at this time in respect of the commitments mentioned. Those present during the consultation and deliberation proceedings offer to translate the above-mentioned official speak: Although maritime stakeholders received MARINA s revised version of the Management Lev- Continued on page 7

4 4 TINIG NG MARINO NOVEMBER - DECEMBER EDITORIAL Nelson P. Ramirez Arianne Ramirez Raffy Ayeng Myrna F. Virtudazo James S. Mante Judy Domingo Ruel E. Fuentes III Joel Matas Rey Sto. Domingo Fr. James Kolin Engr. Samson Tormis Corry Llamas-Konings Bob Ramirez Philip Ramirez Minabelle Siason Capt. Arturo Cañoza Sapalo Velez Bundang Bulilan Law Offices Executive Editor Managing Editor Associate Editor Assistant Editors Staff Writer Layout & Graphic Artist Cartoonist Production Staff New York Bureau Greece Bureau Rotterdam Bureau Singapore Belgium Bureau Japan Bureau Legal Consultants Tinig ng Marino (Voice of the Seafarer) is owned and published by the United Filipino Seafarers, a duly registered Philippine maritime union. Editorial office: 4 th /F Room 402, Gedisco Terraces Bldg., 1148 Roxas Blvd., Ermita, Manila, Philippines; Telephone nos.: (632) , (632) ; Fax: (632) ; ufs_07@yahoo.com; Website: com.ph. Materials published in this paper may be reprinted provided proper acknowledgment to Tinig ng Marino and the author, if indicated, is made. Ten Years of Failure CAPT. REYNOLD BURT M. SABAY BUSINESS CONSCIENCE The seafaring industry in the Philippines is more concerned of the fees of the training, updating and refreshers rather than the costs and consequences of compliance or noncompliance. Incentives, rebates, discounts, referrals and commissions are making the maritime education and training really cheap. Rebate is a return of a portion of a purchase price by a seller to a buyer, usually on purchase of a specified quantity, quality, or value, of goods or services within a specified period. Unlike discount (which is deducted in advance of payment), rebate is given after the payment of full invoice amount. Assessment Scenario: The seafarer was referred by his company to a training center to attend a refresher course. The seafarer was given cash advance to pay for the training fees. Who is supposed to receive the benefit of an applicable rebate? a) The seafarer b) The training manager of the company c) The crewing manager of the company d) The company Refund is a compensation paid to a customer for over invoicing Continued on page 22 For me, it s amazing to realize that this year, the Philippines is celebrating its 10th anniversary for failing the 2006 EMSA audit. There are many marriages that don t even last that long! But you know what is even more amazing? It s that after all this time, passing the audit next year is still not a sure thing. I ve always maintained that what is lacking in the case of STCW certification is the political will to make the necessary changes. After all, as they say, you cannot make an omelette without breaking a few eggs. Granted, implementing the IMO Courses as they are set forth will require a big adjustment; it will definitely be shocking to the system and it will certainly inconvenience a lot of people and agencies. But isn t it worth all the inconvenience and hardship, to once and for all, address the unnecessary complications that have been introduced to the maritime educational system? After more than ten years of going the wrong way, is it really a bad thing to retrace our steps and go back to square one? Take for example the dysfunctional symbiosis of maritime schools and training centers: we send our students to learn theory in the schools, then rely on training centers to teach them how to apply that knowledge. Just by that very set-up, it s obvious that maritime schools are falling woefully short of their responsibility to prepare their graduates to a career in shipping. The Philippines maritime educational system insists on using training centers as a crutch for the inadequacies of the schools, when the latter should be primarily responsible for making sure that the students acquire competencies that will serve them well in their practice. But what is the actual situation: as it now stands, take away the training centers and all you have are college graduates who only have book knowledge under their belt. Continued on page 31

5 NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2016 TINIG NG MARINO UGONG NG MAKINA AT IKOT NG ELISE ENGR. NELSON P. RAMIREZ Most Outstanding Marine Engineer Officer, PRC, 1996 Most Outstanding Student, ZNSAT, 1970 Outstanding Achiever of the Year, Province of Zamboanga del Norte, 2006 Penitensya at Parusa 5 Tuwing mahal na araw dinarayo ang mga nagpepenitensya sa Pampanga at Bataan. Lingid sa kaalaman ng mga turista sa ating bansa, araw-araw nangyayari ang penitensya ng ating mga marino at mga estudyante sa kurso ng magdaragat sapagkat naglipana ang mga sakim, ganid at linta na sumisipsip sa kanilang katas at dugo. Balang araw, magigising na lang tayo na patay na ang gansa na nangingitlog ng ginto. **** **** **** Dito sa bansang Pilipinas makikita ang pinakamahabang kurso ng magdaragat na maituturing natin na isang katangahan, kalokohan at kapabayaan. Dito rin sa ating bansa makikita ang walang humpay na training at dito na rin sa ating bansa makikita ang napakaraming interpretasyon ng IMO STCW Convention. Nakakalungkot na ang mga simpleng bagay ay ginagawang kumplikado. **** **** **** Hindi naman hinahanap ng EMSA at ng IMO assessors ang napakahabang edukasyon para sa mga magdaragat. Ang mga mabigat na nilabag ng Pilipinas ay ang (1) No effective monitoring dahil nagkalat ang mga iskul bukol at hawsyaw na mga training centers. (2) No quality management implementation sapagkat nakikita nila ang kakulangan sa kagamitan at kakulangan ng mga guro na may sapat na kaalaman. Ang problema, iba ang naging solusyon. Pinahaba ang edukasyon na halos kasing haba na ng abogasya at dinagdagan pa ng sandamakmak na training. Nangyayari iyan sapagkat kulang sa konsultasyon ang ating mga tinatawag na experts sa pamahalaan sa mga haligi ng industriya. **** **** **** Simple lang naman ang solusyon. Ipatupad ang IMO Model Course. Mahirap bang intindihin yan? Nagtataka ako kung bakit pinili natin na ipatupad ang baccalaureate course pagkatapos, sisingitan pa ng IMO Model Course. Palagi tayong gumagamit ng band aid solution. Sa totoo lang, walang bansa ang gumagawa ng ganito na para bang niloloko na natin ang ating sarili at para na rin nating hinuhukay ang sarili nating libingan. **** **** **** Nababahala na ang mga manning agencies at mga shipowners sapagkat may kakulangan ng 6,500 na mga opisyales sa buong mundo at hindi nila mahanap ang kanilang mga opisyales. Hindi nila alam, na karamihan sa ating mga opisyales ay wala na sa barko kundi nasa mga training centers at ang iba ay tuluyan na lang huminto sa pagbabarko sapagkat sumusuko na sila sa sandamakmak na pabalik-balik na training. **** **** **** Kung ako ang inyong tatanungin ang agarang solusyon ay bawasan ng tatlong buwan ang Management Level Course. Madre mia, Management Level ba ng COMPASS, ERROR, TRIM AND STABILITY at PASS- GE PLANNING na kasalukuyang pinapakuha sa ating mga beteranong kapitanes? Hindi tayo dapat magpaapekto sa mga inaamag na utak na nandyan sa Commission on Higher Education (CHED) sapagkat alam naman natin na wala silang alam sa ating propesyon. Samantalahin natin ang kakulangan ng opisyales ngayon kasi sa oras na mapalitan ang ating mga opisyales sa management level ng ibang lahi, mahirap na maibalik yan sa atin. **** **** **** Isa pang dapat na maisagawa agad ay ang pagpatupad ng IMO Model Course upang mapaiksi ang edukasyon at mabawasan ang mga training. Isang taon lang naman dapat ang edukasyon para sa OIC Level Officers at isang taon bilang kadete. Ngayon na mayroon pang dalawang taon sa maritime senior high school, bakit pa kailangan nating pabalikin ang mga estudyante sa eskwelahan ng isang semester pagkatapos ng kanilang baccalaureate course? **** **** **** Sa taong 2025 may kakulangan na 150,000 na opisyales sa buong mundo. Wala pa tayong ginagawa para matugunan natin ang malaking kakulangan na ito at mapunta sa atin ang kalamangan. Sa halip, binaboy ng mga baboy ang ating edukasyon at training na naging dahilan kung bakit hindi na Filipino ang numero uno sa buong mundo. Naungusan na tayo ng Tsina at humahabol na ang mga bansang Vietnam at Myanmar. Malaki na ang nabawas sa bilang ng ating marino. Dapat na magising na tayo.

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7 NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2016 from page 3 The Complex Question of Maritime Education el Courses with almost no objections, CHED had major reservations, a source at the events confided. Another source concurs: CHED Commissioner Cynthia Bautista said that this would be complicated. Commissioner Bautista revealed that steps are being taken to ensure that there is a Plan B just in case the threatened EU ban actually takes place. However, when questioned about the general provisions of this Plan B, Commissioner Bautista admitted that, at this point, nothing is defined. They are still thinking how to best approach the matter. Meanwhile, it seems that the European shipowners have unpremeditated stumbled on their own Plan Bs: sourcing officers from countries other than the Philippines. As of 2015, the Philippines has lost its #1 standing as the world s largest suppliers of maritime officers. That distinction is now held by China. We need to start thinking of the long game It s not improbable that the 2017 audit will be the country s last chance with EMSA; at this point, their decade-long patience is well beyond the limits of reasonable tolerance. It s a pity that, despite being a lucrative cash cow for the economy, the structure of maritime education has yet to benefit from long-term planning. It is glaringly obvious that the machinery and mechanisms governing the career path of maritime officers and engineers have been mostly determined by happenstance rather than careful determination. Case in point: the unseemly division of labor between maritime schools and training centers. The implication seems to be that maritime schools are where you go for theoretical knowledge, while training centers provide technical skills. Ultimately, Comissioner Bautista spoke the truth when she pointed out that maritime education in the Philippines is complicated. But what she seems to have left unaddressed is a recognition that nothing concrete or significant is being done to make it less so. CMA-CGM hailed as Company of the Year in Lloyd s List Global Awards 2016 TINIG NG MARINO CHED Data for BS Maritime Transportation and BS Marine Engineering for School year 2013 to 2016 Enrolment Data Number of graduate students Source: CHED Maritime Education Section as of LEADING worldwide shipping group CM-CGM was recently commended in London by the prestigious Lloyd s List Global Awards. CMA-CGM bagged the Company of the Year award while Rodolphe Saadé, vice chairman and member of the CMA CGM Group s Board of Directors, was hailed as the Newsmaker of the Year, the award giving body s two highest distinctions. The jury highlighted CMA CGM s key role in the industry with this prize, and more precisely its development and keen anticipation of current markets conditions through implemented measures. The Newsmaker of the Year Award attributed to Saadé stressed his vision for the shipping industry, and his key role during the unprecedented round of consolidation underway and the maritime alliances reconstruction taking place including the acquisition process of NOL as well as the Alliance Ocean constitution. This ceremony is organized by the leading newspaper of the shipping industry. Its jury is composed of journalists and shipping key players. Each year, it recognizes leaders and companies who achieve significant results within the industry. Rodolphe Saadé, vice chairman and member of the CMA CGM Group s Board of Directors

8 8 TINIG NG MARINO NOVEMBER - DECEMBER Farewell, Capt. Wally Rivas BY NELSON P. RAMIREZ The United Filipino Seafarers and Tinig ng Marino bids goodbye to a fellow seafarers advocate, Capt. Walfredo Wally C. Rivas Jr., who passed away 30th September Capt. Rivas had been on the UFS Board of Directors for more than a decade, and had been a passionate advocate for improving the work and life conditions of every Filipino seafarer. One of his strongest causes is promoting financial literacy for marinos so that they can spend their golden years in comfort, rather than in poverty. Himself a successful retired seafarer and businessman, Capt. Rivas mentioned this as his lesson in life: Know to follow and to command, and you will be successful. Early dreams Capt. Rivas was the fifth in a brood of seven; he had two brothers and four sisters. He described his parents as very hardworking: My mother is a businesswoman, while my father was into trucking. He owned 6x6 units for hauling logs while my mother was buying and selling rice and other goods. My father was a mechanic, and he was very ambitious for his children; we were living in Bulacan but at a young age he sent me to Manila to study. As a young boy, Capt. Rivas dreamed of travelling around the world, which was why he initially chose Aeronautical Engineering as a career path. He initially enrolled in FEATI (Far East Air Transport Incorporated University), but some of his ROTC (Reserve Officers' Training Corps) buddies questioned his choice: They would ask me why take that course, when the rate of success in this line of work was very low; they even quoted the number of planes back then, and the number of graduates in Aeronautics. One of them pointed out that for every commercial plane, there were about a thousand graduates hoping to be hired as its pilot. That made him change his mind. As he considered his options, a friend suggested that he take the entrance examinations at PMMA (Philippine Merchant Marine Academy), which he did. Soon, he received a phone call informing him that he passed, and asking him to report. The PMMA experience He recalled his college years as very difficult: "Everybody knows that PMMA is not just about physical fitness; you also need to have brains". In the academy, he soon discovered that the level of training that students were expected to go through was very rigorous. This, he explained, was the reason why not all who entered the academy were able to leave it as graduates. "Out of 1000 students who were in my freshman class, less than 20 persevered. That was how arduous those years were: physically, emotionally, and psychologically." But Capt. Rivas said that it was time well-spent; Within those years, our teachers taught us three things. During the first year, they taught us was how to follow, and how to do it well and without complaint. The next lesson for our sophomore year was to command; and it was a unique experience because we experienced what it was like to have people under your command, while you yourself were under the command of others superior to you. Our third year was when we were sent out to sea; there, we had to apply what we learned: how to follow while still being in command. Finally, to round it up, we returned to the academy for our senior year, this time as the ones who served as authorities for the lower batches. We were now the first class men for all the other cadets, and this was the third lesson. Taking the lessons to heart After graduation came a whole new challenge: establishing a career as a seafarer. He reminisced: The ultimate lesson was this: after graduation, it was up to us to choose which of the three lessons we would use as our key to success. Most of the graduates chose the first lesson: to be inferior. Others chose to focus on the third lesson, which is to be the superior. But for me, I observed that the people who succeeded tend to be those who pick to stay in the middle: you can follow, and you can order. These three lessons were lasting ones that I took away from the academy, and I feel that they can help anybody find their own success in life. A member of PMMA Class of 1972, he counted himself as very fortunate to be hired as 3rd Mate right after graduation, and so he never had to serve as Ratings. He still remembered the exact date he stepped on board in his first post: October 4. From there, his career took off: by 1979, less than seven years after graduation, he made it as a captain. He spent the 80s commanding LPGs and tankers. By the 1990s, Capt. Rivas was already mentioning to his principals that he wanted to retire and see what life on land held for him. They kept discouraging him from leaving, however, citing that in his early forties, he was still too young to do so. But he was serious about wanting a change, and in 1992, finally handed in his resignation. Beyond being an employee He went on to secure a position as port manager for a British shipping company that catered mostly to LPG ships. He stayed for two years, and then transferred to another land-based post upon the offer of a former superior during his sea-going years. It was two years after, in 1994, that he began to feel the need to be more financially and professionally secured. He realized that he should be pursuing some ownership in the company rather than being only an employee. He aspired to put up a business when he truly retired. So he talked to his senior about the possibility of being a partner in the company, who said that there was no way that could happen. That was when he decided to start his own company. Some of the principals from his old position approached him, and offered to transfer their contracts, but he refused on ethical grounds. Instead, he opted to cultivate his own clients, aggressively marketing his services in Europe, and Pearl Grace Shipmanagement, Inc. was born in He soon realized that Filipino seafarers had two major issues that potentially hampered their chances of success: first, the quality of their training; second, their sense of inferiority in relation to seafarers from other nationalities. He established a training center in the third floor of his building to address both. He proudly demonstrated how his facilities were well-equipped to teach the intricacies included in the MLC modules, with hand-picked instructors. A life well-lived Capt. Rivas would go on to establish more successful businesses such as a sea and land-based manning agencies, a clinic, a TESDA-accredited training center, and a restaurant, among other ventures. In the months before his demise, he expressed satisfaction at how his life had turned out: Ang paniwala ko talaga sa buhay, ang tao dapat positive thinking. Pag bukas ang mata mo, ang una mong iisipin ay yung magaganda, yung maaayos na bagay. So far, I'm happy. My businesses are going well, and now I have my own building. I am successful in my family, successful in business. I have friendships; I count myself lucky that my acquaintances and those with whom I work with are all honest people. We help each other. This is what I consider as the key to my success: my family is happy. My wife is supportive.

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10 10 TINIG NG MARINO NOVEMBER - DECEMBER UFS continues tradition of Maritime Week Celebration BY JUDY DOMINGO Hundreds of seafarers, exhibitors and guests gathered at LUSWELF Kalaw as the Maritime Week celebration officially kicked off last Sept. 26, Organized by the United Filipino Seafarers, the celebration started with a motorcade of 75 cars, SUVs and AUVs, and motorcycles early in the morning, which officially started the celebration. The celebration was led by UFS President Engr. Nelson Ramirez, along with guest speakers MARINA Administrator C/E Al Amaro; DIWA Partylist Representative, Cong. Emmeline Aglipay-Villar; Philippine Ports Authority General Manager, Atty. Jay Daniel Santiago and NLRC Commissioner Atty. Leonard Vinz Ignacio. Right after the ribbon-cutting on its first day, Engr. Ramirez delivered his welcome remarks which were then followed by the inspirational talks of each special guest speaker. The seafarers gained valuable insights and information during the legal forum on the latter part of the first day s program. On its second day, the seafarers enjoyed the food as they dived into boodle fight which is now a traditional event of the celebration. To sum it up, the Maritime Week s celebration was filled with fun activities, games, booths and raffle prizes. Among the exhibitors and sponsors who participated in providing fun and great service to the dear seafarers were: Banco de Oro Best Selling Homes Intermarine Shipmanagement Corp Seaman Jobsite.com Horizon Land a Federal Land Company Seapower Shipping Enterprises Inc. Eagle Star Crew Management Corp. ZRC Training Center National Maritime Polytechnic Pag-ibig Fund Bridge Marine Corp Mariana Maritime Center Inc Netship Management Inc Fareast Maritime Foundation Inc. German Marine Agencies Inc. Ritemed Navicare Maritime Services Inc Nfinit Seafarers Loan Lucent Evermore Estate Development Inc Evic Human Resources Mgmt Inc SBR Marine Services Corp Abosta Shipmanagement Corp Vertex Maritime Review Center Altitude Maritime Training Center Inc Luneta Seafarers Welfare Foundation Inc Admins Informative Speech During his inspirational speech, MARINA Admin Engr. Amaro took the chance to share a significant information to seafarers about the disturbing increase in the production of officers from the Eastern Continued on page 27

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12 12 TINIG NG MARINO NOVEMBER - DECEMBER Leonis Navigation Co. Inc. and World Marine Panama S.A. v. Eduardo C. Obrero and Mercedita Obrero (G.R. No , September 7, 2016) which case was decided by the Supreme Court, has given it the opportunity to once more revisit the connection between work conditions and mental disorder. In the said Leonis case, the seafarer, who had worked many years for his employer as ordinary seaman and able seaman, was taken in for the lower post of messman on board an ocean-going vessel. Some eight (8) months after he was deployed onboard, the seafarer was observed by his crewmates to be acting strangely and could no longer perform his daily tasks. Soon thereafter, he was medically repatriated and was found by the company-designated physician to have schizophrenia which is not workrelated. The seafarer did not agree with the said findings and filed a complaint with the NLRC, claiming payment of total disability benefits. He also sought the opinion of a psychiatrist who found him to be suffering from a psychotic disorder brought about by his exposure to the adverse situation of repeatedly being at sea for prolonged periods of time. The psychiatrist likewise pointed out that he was unable to handle the stress of being demoted to messman. While the labor arbiter sided with the employer, the NLRC and the Court of Appeals both ruled for the seafarer. The Supreme Court also agreed with the decision of the Court of Appeals and found the seafarer s mental condition to be permanent, workrelated and thus, compensable. The High Court deemed as reasonable and highly probable the thorough explanation and diagnosis of the seafarer s psychiatrist that his work environment increased his risk of developing or triggering schizophrenia and that his demotion precipitated his mental disorder. This is so considering that the psychiatrist was able to personally study, observe, and evaluate ATTY. AUGUSTO R. BUNDANG Head, Litigation and Seafarers Department Sapalo Velez Bundang and Bulilan Law Offices the seafarer before coming up with her psychiatric evaluation as compared to the baseless findings of the companydesignated doctor. Significantly, the Supreme Court gave greater weight to the psychiatrist s medical assessment of the seafarer since the matter was her practice area. Suffice it to say that the company-designated doctor s expertise lies rather in general and SAILOR S CORNER PSYCHOTIC DISORDER AND WORK-RELATEDNESS cancer surgery. Moreover, the Supreme Court pointed out that in two (2) previous cases, i.e., Cabuyoc v. Inter- Orient Navigation (GR NO , Nov. 24, 2006) and NFD International Manning Agents, Inc. v. NLRC (GR NO , March 13, 1997), it has already ruled that work environment can trigger schizophrenia. Finally, the Court clarified that Section 20(B)(3) or the provision in the POEA-Standard Employment Contract on the subject of securing the third doctor s opinion, does not cover whether the disability of the seafarer is work-related, but merely refers to the declaration of fitness to work or the degree of disability. Hence, the nonreferral to a third doctor is found to be inconsequential in this case.

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16 16 TINIG NG MARINO NOVEMBER - DECEMBER C/ENGR. RODOLFO B. VIRTUDAZO Outstanding Seafarer of the Year, NSD, 1998 Most Outstanding Marine Engineer Officer, PRC, 1999 Technical Superintendent ABACUS Ship Management Limited VAST HORIZON The Grace of Humility Having experienced the art and technique of negotiating repair bills, which is the most crucial part of a superintendent s job, marks another milestone in my career. That was during my stay at Sembawang Shipyard in Singapore when I was assigned there for dry docking supervision. When I was in Tsakos Shipyard (Montevideo, Uruguay), I did not take part in the negotiation as I was mainly concentrating on the repair of the rudder system. After that tension-filled and nerve-wracking bargaining with shipyard s commercial staff, a colleague commented that I am now a full-fledged technical superintendent. But for me, what is more significant during my threeweek stint in Singapore is having been able to experience the grace of humility. I was assigned to work with Mr. Li, the most senior superintendent in the company. Prior to my mission to the Lion City, I was told that he is a man of few words, and not as sociable as Mr. Leung, my first team mate as superintendent. I was assured though that I should not take his reticence as a sign of indifference. He is generally a nice person but it s just that he seems to have that air of aloofness about him. The tip-off was indeed true. The first time I met him for dinner at the hotel with our managing director, Mr. Yung, I found Mr. Li truly tight-lipped. I seemed to be on tenterhooks as I braced myself for his authoritative look. I wished I could figure out his thoughts and feelings as the managing director and I did most of the talking. In our first few days of encounter, I could not help but feel all the respect and reverence for Mr. Li. At more than 70 years of age, he is still very healthy, in tip-top shape to be exact. He has a good posture unlike other people his age. He walks briskly. I observed too that he did not catch his breath in going up and down during our cargo hold and ballast tank inspections. He could eat any food, without any restrictions at all. Seeing him savor prawns and pork almost every meal every day left me in awe. While poor me could only feast on fish, chicken, and vegetables in Manila for fear that the monster gout would be awakened after many years of hibernation. Mr. Li always insisted that I partake of the prawn dishes and suggested gravy or sauce that went well with them. I was touched because under that seemingly un- Continued on page 60

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18 18 TINIG NG MARINO NOVEMBER - DECEMBER PISOBILITIES FRANCISCO J. COLAYCO Chairman, Colayco Foundation for Education Entrepreneur, Venture Developer and Financial Advisor Empleyado ng Bangko, Lubog sa Utang Hepa-B 100% More Infectious than AIDS The Center for Disease Control and Prevention Center that 60 percent of Filipino population may have been infected with the Hepa-B virus, Hepatitis-B is a serious disease characterized by an inflammation of the liver caused by type B hepatitis or serum virus and the fifth most common cause of death worldwide. The virus of this type is usually transmitted by some contaminated instrument such as hypodermic needle, tattooing, instrument for piercing earlobe or by blood transfusion and sexual contact with a person infected with a virus The incubation period is four to twenty weeks and the onset of the symptoms is gradual, Hepa-B can not be prevented by the administration of immune serum globulin In a research, by Dr. Masahiro Yamamoto of Nissay Hospital in Japan said certain herbs can promote the multiplication of liver cells, replacing destroyed by chronic hepatitis damages and immunity functions. With the onslaught, it is incumbent upon us to join hands with the Department of Health as it tries to eradicate Hepa-B in the Philippines, which is considered Malapit na naman ang Pasko. Marami sa atin ang gagamit ng credit card para mamili ng mga regalo. Eto ang babala na dapat mag-ingat para hindi mabaon sa utang. Nakatanggap kami ng liham mula sa isang empleyado ng bangko. Baka mayroon kayong kamag-anak na nasa kalagayan din niya. Una sa lahat, maraming salamat po sa pagbibigay pag-asa at kaliwanagan sa mga taong walang pinansiyal na kaalaman sa pamamagitan ng inyong mga libro at seminar. Binili ko po ang dalawa nyong libro. Pumunta rin po ako sa inyong seminar. Lubos ang aking pasasalamat na nakapunta ako roon at mabasa ang inyong mga libro. Marami akong natutunan at talagang sinusunod ang inyong mga payo. Nakakaugnay po talaga ako sa mga kuwentong nabanggit ninyo sa inyong mga libro. Isa po ako sa mga napakaraming Pinoy na kapos na kapos. Ako y 42 taong gulang, kasal, may isang anak na babae, at nagtatrabaho sa isang bangko. Ang asawa ko naman ay isang office staff, pero contractual basis lang po. Ang problema ko po ay marami akong utang sa credit card at sa iba t-ibang bangko. Wala nang natira sa budget ko dahil kinakain ng mga bayad ko sa utang ang aking suweldo. Umuutang din ako mula sa iba t-ibang bangko para lang mabayaran ang minimum sa tamang oras. Patuloy kong ginagawa ito at halos wala akong kawala. Inaamin as a hotspot by the World Health Organization. According to a survey seventy percent of the world s estimated 350 million Hepa-B carriers are found in Southeast Asia which includes the Philippines and the Pacific region. A potential fatal disease, Hepa-B is 100 times more infectious than the deadly AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) and the most common cause of death worldwide. A patient George of Manila, was suffering from Hepa-B for almost two years and was rejected to migrate from another countries, So depressed, But learned about miracle herbs. After taking the bottle of herbs extract for two months it has shown great improvement and was cleared of Hepa-B virus. Free consultation and lectures on the management of Hepa-B virus will be conducted by Ms. Digna Lizada or Dra. Ulep. For more information on the benefits of herbs, visit us at Rm. 601 MBI Bldg. Plaza Sta. Cruz, Manila with contact nos. Tels , or for details. It s approved by BFAD.(VG) ko na kung bakit malaki ang utang ko ay dulot ng aking mababang tingin ko sa aking sarili. Nag-ugat pa po ito sa aking pagkabata, kung saan walang-wala po kami ng aking pamilya. Hindi ko rin matakasan ang tuksong sumunod sa uso ng pamumuhay sa pinagtatrabahuan ko. Bagaman marami na akong natutunan ngayon, di ko pa rin alam paano makakalaya mula sa kakapusan. Natatakot akong di ko na kayang bayaran ang mga utang ko sa credit card, kahit yung minimum. Pero ayaw kong mangyari yun. Pinoprotektahan ko rin ang aking posisyon dahil nagtatrabaho ako sa bangko. Plano ko pong sulatan ang mga credit card companies na pinag-uutangan ko, ipaliwanag ang sitwasyon ko, hilingin kung puwedeng i-restructure ang utang sa credit card at magbayad nalang ng mas mababang halaga. Di ko na po talaga kayang bayaran yun. Gusto ko pong malaman kung puwede po yon? Sa totoo lang po, puwede po bang gawin iyon ng mga credit card companies? Ano pa po ba ang ibang alternatibo? Makukulong po ba ang isang taong di makakapagbayad ng utang sa credit card? Plano ko rin magnegosyo kasama ang isang kaibigan para magkaroon ng dagdag na kita. Pero dahil wala akong capital, iniisip kong gamitin ang power of leverage. Nang pinagaralan at sinuri ang projected income na puwedeng makuha sa negosyo, mayroon akong dagdag na kitang 3% kumpara sa interes ng utang (gamit ang pormulang itinuro ninyo sa Pera Palaguin Workbook). Kung ganoon, puwede po ba akong umutang? Pakitulungan po ninyo akong mabawasan ang suliraning ito. Sinusunod ko po ngayon ang inyong payo tulad ng pag-iwas sa mga di kailangang gastusin, masusing pagsunod sa aking budget, paghahanap ng mga oportunidad para sa dagdag na kita, at pagiipon. Ngunit higit sa lahat, ang pagkakaroon ng pag-asang lumaya mula sa kakapusan. Sabi mo nga Kaya ko to! Sana po mapayuhan niyo po ako sa aking sitwasyon. Lubos ko po itong pinahahalagahan dahil makakatulong po talaga ito nang husto. Ito ang aking sagot ko: Bago ang lahat, HUWAG NA HUWAG MONG ISIPING MAG- NEGOSYO SA KALAGAYAN MONG ITO! Tandaan na malaki ang panganib sa pagtatayo ng negosyo. Mga 15 percent hanggang 30 percent lang ng mga nagtatayo ng negosyo ang nagtatagumpay sa unang limang taon. Kung matatandaan mo, isa yan sa mga tinuturo ng libro. Hindi tamang magtayo ng negosyo gamit lamang ang utang. Ang pag-utang ay isang tiyak na pasanin, isang obligasyong magbayad magtagumpay man ang negosyo mo o hindi! Bukod pa riyan, masyadong mababa ang tubong 3 percent para sa isang negosyong walang pondo. Bayaran mo muna ang iyong mga utang sa credit card. Gamitin mo ang ipong sinimulan mo nang buuin bilang pambayad dito. Mag-invest sa utang, ika-nga! Isa rin ito sa mga aral ng libro. Puwede mong sulatan ang mga credit card companies. Pero sa totoo lang, makikipag-ayos lang sila sa iyo kung hindi ka na talaga nagbabayad. Hangga t nagbabayad ka, ipinapapalagay nilang may kakayahan ka pang magbayad. Ang paggamit mo ng credit card para mabayaran ang utang sa iba pang credit card ay isang indikasyon sa kanila na may kakayahan ka pang magbayad. Hindi dahil nagbabayad ka ng minimum at pinapanatili mong buhay ang mga credit card mo ay magaling ka nang humawak ng utang. Maling-mali yon! Dapat ipa-consolidate mo ang lahat ng iyong utang sa pamamagitan ng pagkuha ng mas mababang utang mula sa isang non-credit card source. Makipag-usap ka rin para sa isang bago at mas mahabang panahon ng pagbayad. Gupitin mo na agad ang mga credit cards mo. HUWAG MO NANG GAMITIN MULI ANG MGA ITO!!! Magbayad ka na lang ng cash. Magdala ka lang ng sapat na pondo para sa yong mga pangagailangan sa isang araw. Huwag magpadala sa tukso. Kung wala Continued on page 22

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20 20 TINIG NG MARINO NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2016 THE UNHOLY ALLIANCE Claims of work-related illness should be strongly supported by evidence: The heirs of Carbonilla versus Cargo Safeway and Italia Marittima If a worker dies from a medical condition that was most likely existent even before the seafarer boarded the vessel, and if the said death occurs after the period covered by the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), should the principals and manning agency still be considered liable for death benefits? Cargo Safeway, Inc. and Italia Marittima Spa/Italy, the respondents in the case filed by the heirs of Romeo A. Carbonilla, strongly disagree. In a motion for reconsideration filed with the National Conciliation and Mediation Board pertaining to the decision handed down on 7 September 2016, Cargo Safeway and Italia Marittima argue that Carbonilla s cause of death is not work-related, and therefore, does not qualify for benefits and compensations outlined in the CBA. The motion contests the mediator panel s determination that Carbonilla, who served as Chief Engineer for MV Ital Libera from January to April 2015, developed colorectal cancer as a direct result of conditions under which he worked. Cargo Safeway and Italia Marittima contest this decision on the grounds that (1) the heirs could not present evidence that ship conditions contributed to Carbonilla s cancer; and (2) his death occurred past the period covered by the CBA. The background to the case According to the records of the case, Romeo A. Carbonilla was hired by Cargo Safeway for its foreign principal Italia Marittima Spa/Italy in January He was assigned to work on board the vessel MV Ital Libera as a Chief Engineer under a POEA-approved Contract of Employment. A few weeks after assuming his post, Carbonilla had complaints of pain, fatigue, and discomfort, among others. The symptoms were serious enough for Carbonilla and his captain to agree to have Carbonilla disembark so that he can receive medical attention on land. Carbonilla arrived in the Philippines on 5 April He was subsequently diagnosed with colorectal cancer, Stage IV. Carbonilla died on 28 May A few months after Carbonilla s demise, his heirs filed a complaint before the Department of Labor and Employment NCR-National Conciliation and Mediation Board for Seafarer Death Benefits. The heirs claimed that during the four months that Carbonilla was onboard the vessel MV Ital Libera as Chief Engineer, he was made to consume a diet that was high in fat and cholesterol, leading to the development of colorectal cancer. The Panel, in a decision that was handed on 7 September 2016 concurred with the heirs, citing the case of Leonis Navigation Co., Inc. vs Villamater, wherein Villamater s diet was shown to be a critical factor in the development of a serious medical issue. The Panel resolved that the complainants were to receive death benefits as Carbonilla s beneficiaries; furthermore, the complainants were entitled to be reimbursed for attorney s fees by the respondents. Basis for reconsideration Respondents Cargo Safeway and Italia Marittima respectfully protested the Panel s decision by pointing out that Carbonilla had a strong hereditary predisposition to cancer, as attested by the fact that his father, brother, and sister all had cancer themselves. None of the complainants denied this point. The respondents asserted that this predisposition is likely to result in Carbonilla eventually developing cancer as well, whether or not he worked as a seafarer. Moreover, despite claiming that Carbonilla s diet was a crucial factor in the development of his cancer, the complainants could not present any evidence that Carbonilla s diet while on board the MV Ital Libera was indeed high in fat and cholesterol. The records of the vessel MV Ital Libera show that the provisions of the vessel accommodate a balanced diet consisting of meat, fish, dairy, and vegetables. Furthermore, that Carbonilla s condition was already at Stage IV upon diagnosis implied that his was a medical issue that preceded the beginning of his contract; that Carbonilla served on other vessels owned by Italia Marittima was of no matter, since seafarers are considered as contractual employees. Therefore, their employment is terminated when the contract expires. The claims that the complainants have filed with the Panel is based on the CBA effective January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2017; it is highly unlikely that the cancer was only acquired during the four months that Carbonilla has been on board. Finally, Carbonilla died more than a month after arriving in the Philippines; a period no longer covered by the CBA, which specifically stated that the company is only liable for death occurring whilst within the employment of the company, and whilst travelling to and from the vessel. The respondents, with all due respect, upholds three points: (1) that the Panel gravely erred in considering that the condition of the complainant is work-related; (2) that the Panel gravely erred in granting death benefits to the complainants as the death of the seafarer was not covered by the CBA; and (3) that the Panel erred in awarding attorney s fees to the claimants. The respondents pray that the Panel reconsider its decision, and dismiss the case for utter lack of merit.

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22 22 TINIG NG MARINO NOVEMBER - DECEMBER from page 4 BUSINESS CONSCIENCE or for returned goods. Based upon the assessment scenario above, who is supposed to receive the benefit of an applicable refund? a) The seafarer b) The training manager of the company c) The crewing manager of the company d) The company Referral fees are the payments service providers make to third parties in return for recommending their services or sending customers to them. Based upon the assessment scenario above, who is supposed to receive the benefit of an applicable referral fees? a) The seafarer b) The training manager of the company c) The crewing manager of the company d) The company Commission a fee charge by a broker or agent for his/her service in facilitating a transaction, such as the buying or selling of securities or real estate. Based upon the assessment scenario above, who is supposed to receive the benefit of an applicable commission? a) The seafarer b) The training manager of the company c) The crewing manager of the company d) None of the above Incentive pay is a monetary gift provided to an employee based on performance, which is thought of one way to entice the employee to continue delivering positive results. Incentive pay may come in the form of a bonus, profit-sharing, or commission. Profit sharing An arrangement in which an employer shares some of its profits with its employees. The compensation can be stocks, bonds, or cash, and can be immediate or deferred until retirement. Corruption is wrongdoing on the part of an authority or powerful party through means that are illegitimate, immoral, or incompatible with ethical standards. Corruption often results from patronage and is associated with bribery. Which of the following statement(s) is(are) true? a) Corruption hurts people, stop it! b) Corruption is a disease, cure it! c) Corruption is rampant in the Philippines MET industry! d) All of the above mymetsolutions@gmail.com from page 18 PISOBILITIES Empleyado ng Bangko, Lubog sa Utang kang sapat na pera, wala ka talagang mabibili. Kung kailangang maglakad pauwi, gawin mo. Kailangan mo na talagang maghigpit ng sinturon! Hindi ka makukulong sa di pagbayad ng credit card. Ngunit ang pagtatrabaho mo sa isang bangko ay isang bagay na dapat mong isaalangalang nang maigi. Dapat malaman mo kung ano ang mga patakaran ng bangkong pinapasukan mo tungkol sa mga empleyadong lubog sa utang. Makakasiguro kang hindi ka nag-iisa sa iyong sitwasyon. Marami kaming natatanggap na hinaing mula sa napakaraming empleyadong nagtatrabaho sa bangko. Ngunit iba t iba ang patakaran ng bawat bangko hinggil dito (Malay mo, may maibibigay na sagot ang bangko tungkol sa pagko-consolidate ng utang mo). Ang mahalagay malaman mo magkano ang nakukuha mo sa lahat ng pinagkakakitaan mo at tingnan gaano katagal mo mababayaran ang lahat ng yong obligasyon. Sa bagay na ito, sigurado akong may mga pagmamay-ari ka at/o ang iyong pamilya na hindi niyo kailangan. Ibenta niyo nalang ang mga ito para mabawasan ang yong utang. Kung di ka pa umutang mula sa SSS o Pag-IBIG, umutang ka para mabayaran ang mga utang mo sa credit card. Piliin kung aling credit card ang may pinakamaliit na balanse at bayaran ito agad. Sa gayon, makakahinga ka rin nang maluwag dahil natapos mong bayaran ang isang utang. Siguraduhin mong nakatutok ka sa trabaho mo. Kaya t huwag mong alalahanin ang mga problema mo sa pera habang nagtatrabaho. Tugunan at husayan mong maigi ang iyong trabaho. Hindi mareresolba ng pag-aalala ang iyong mga problema. Sabi mo nga, dapat bawasan mo ang yong mga gastusin. Gumastos ka lang sa mga pinakakailangan mo. Tigilan mo munang lumabas kasama ang mga kaibigan mo kung makakabawas ito sa yong mga gastusin. Magbigay ng anumang dahilan o di kaya y sabihin mo nalang na nagtitipid ka. Kung tunay silang kaibigan, tutulungan ka din nila. Gawin mong uso ang pagtitipid sa iyong pinagtatrabahuhan. Magugulat ka na lamang na maraming susuporta at sasali sa yo! Kapag nabayaran mo na ang lahat ng utang mo sa credit card at may ipon ka na, puwede kang sumali sa aming mga oportunidad na ipapakita namin sa iyo sa halip na magnegosyo. Samantala, subukin mong kumita sa pamamagitan ng pagbibigay serbisyo para di ka na mangailangan ng capital. Kaya mo to!!! Para sa mga gustong matuto, malaman at magabayan sa tamang pangangapital o pagpapalago ng pera na Php50,000 o higit, pumunta sa Unit 807 Citystate Center Condominium; 709 Shaw Boulevard, Pasig kahit anong araw Lunes hanggang Biyernes; 9am- 6pm. Tumawag para sa iyong appointment sa aming trained advisers sa , , Magandang ipamahagi sa mga kamag-anak at kaibigan ang pamamaraan ng pamamalaga ng pera. Ang mga libro ko ay may free delivery at special offers para sa Pasko. Tawag o Text kayo o sa Facebook. Makinig sa Pera Mo, Palaguin Mo tuwing Lunes sa DZXL 558AM magmula sa 11 hanggang 12 ng tanghali. Maaari mo rin kaming mapanood sa Pisobilities RealiTV tuwing Martes, 8:30 pm, at sa Light Network Channel 33 tuwing Sabado sa GMA News TV 11, 6am.

23 NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2016 TINIG NG MARINO 23 Pres. Duterte Graces Philippine Coast Guard's 115th Anniversary BY JUDY DOMINGO The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) celebrated its 115th Anniversary, on October 12, 2016, at the Philippine Coast Guard Headquarters. The event was attended by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte who was the Guest of Honor and Speaker, Department of Transportation Secretary Atty. Arthur Tugade and the Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines. In line with the celebration, awards and recognitions were given to selected coast guard personnel, units, and individuals who have provided extra-ordinary achievements and priceless services which contributed to the successful accomplishment of the PCG s mission and functions. But aside from the anniversary itself, the highlight of the day is the Commissioning Ceremony for the new Coast Guard ship. The first multi-rolled response vessel MRRV Tubbataha was commissioned by Pres. Duterte. Tubbataha was declared as Barko ng Republika ng Pilipinas Tubbataha, the first of the ten multi-role response vessels which was built in Yokohama Shipyard in Japan. Following the tradition, a vessel is being commissioned to grant her an identity to belong to a service and to authorize her to perform the mandated mission of the agency, fly the national ensign, jack flag and the commission pennant. The features of the MRRV include fire monitors, night vision camera, radio direction finder, a work boat, and the bulletproof navigational bridge. MRRVs procurement is due to the Maritime Safety Capability Improvement Project which was awarded by the transportation department to the Japan Marine United Corporation (JMU). Its implementation is under the Official Development Assistance (ODA) project, through a tied loan extended by the Japan International Cooperation Agency. Under the project terms, the MRRVs will be used by the PCG for the following purposes: Primary rescue vessels within the PCG District s area of responsibility (AOR) when the extent of the disaster is beyond the capability of floating assets deployed within the area; Assistance in the control of oil pollution and protection of the marine environment; Enforcement of all applicable maritime laws within the designated AOR, particularly relating to illegal fishing and sea patrol; Service as platform for rapid response during relief operations in the area; Transport of personnel and logistical support. The MRRVs will be positioned to various PCG Districts across the country, including Manila, La Union and Puerto Princesa. Source:

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25 NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2016 TINIG NG MARINO 25 TIPS FOR A CAREER ASHORE! BY ENGR RAINERO B. MORGIA, MSC ENV. Many seafarers eventually look to swallow the anchor and have a career ashore. Make the most of it by reading this article. For some having seafaring experience is a real plus, for others it seems to actually hinder them as they be misunderstood. We look at the power of experience when it comes to developing a career ashore. It seems that experience at sea can help, but it needs to be the right experience. There should be no such thing as bad experience, as much like publicity, the more you have the better able you are to deal with whatever life and a job can throw at you. But does this maxim apply when it comes to seafarers shifting ashore? Industry data shows that around 90% of seafarers will move ashore at some point in their careers. Some may leave the industry completely but most stick around in shipping but are they making the most of the skills which have honed and the training they received onboard? For some the transition is easier than for others - naturally engineers are more easily able to shift their career ashore than dickies. The demands for people to fix things are more apparent ashore than the need to navigate! Which is a shame, but it is the fact. Shifting to shore side employment is therefore straightforward for some, but a real challenge for others. Here are some useful tips for seafarers wishing to shift to a creer ashore: 1. IMPROVE YOUR INTERVIEW SKILLS There is a problem when it comes to recruitment and that is that some recuiters cannot really understand what it means to have been at sea. Sure there some who have there themselves, but for others the whole institutionalized nature can make them question whether seafarers can adapt to an office ashore. Now of course there are issues with transitioning the reality of life at sea is hard, but there are plusses too. There is often tax free salaries, and there time off far outstrips anything ashore. So seafarers need to be aware of not just the working challenged, but the cultural ones too. By being open with employers or recruiters, by telling them you appreciate what it is like working and having a career ashore, then this can put them at ease. For those at sea who have real career plan, and the one does include shifting ashore - it can be beneficial to try and secure some time gaining some experience in the shipping company office ashore. Yes, it can be pain to sacrifice be a pain to sacrifice vacation time but it can really bring dividends in the long run. A resume / CV which shows some experience in an office environment will really be a boon when the job search starts. 2. IMPROVE YOUR RESUME / CV So what can you do to ensure you secure the most rewarding and fulfilling shore side opportunity when you head down the gangway for the last time? Play to your strengths: The strengths needed to be a seafarer are always those which shine in a shore role. You should now downplay the resilience, independence, focus, and strength which comes from being at sea. It is about finding how best to apply them ashore. The ability to connect with people of different backgrounds, to understand complex safety or security issues, or even as simple as being punctual and focused. These are all the real strengths which increasingly those ashore may lack. Seafarers go to sea for a host of reasons, some for adventure, for a challenge, for money or time off. When deciding to move ashore there can be many and varied motives behind the move. However, all too often it can be easy to fall into the trap of thinking that life and working ashore will be so much easier than at sea. 3. KNOW YOUR ROLE Having said that working ashore can be demanding in its own way it can be easier if you identify your passions and try to work to them. To be someone who excels at managing safety but it ends up trying to sell machine parts well it could be a tough transition. By identifying which part of the industry is most appealing, then steps can be put in place to try and move into that arena. Research is important and with knowledge you can then shape the more ashore into more rewarding job opportunities. 4. SHOW YOUR EXPERIENCE Having conducted research and begun to appreciate which kinds of jobs appeal ashore, then it may be possible to focus efforts at sea which provide valuable relevant experience. Also there are many training courses on offer, and knowing what roles would be attractive can give time to pursue some training or education which will make you even more appealing to employers. 5. GO YOUR OWN NETWORKING Once the perspective shore side career path has been identified, then it is about improving links to it and the likelihood of being chosen. Professional networks can be so important in supporting this that it wise to learn to network like a professional. If you are in bodies or membership of associations, then there is a ready-made network to tap into. 6. GO ON YOUR OWN WAY If there are not opportunities or routes which are desirable, then starting a business can be a route to take. The added bonus of this approach is that it can allow for a transitional period with the off Continued on page 29

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27 NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2016 from page 10 UFS continues tradition of Maritime Week Celebration European countries. Report says that significant numbers of officers are now recruited from the Fareast and eastern Europe. Gusto kong bigyan ng stress o importansiya ang sinabi ko po na iyon because it is alarming that a lot of eastern European countries right now are producing officers onboard the ship while ratings are being recruited from developing countries such as the Philippines, dito po sa Far East or southeast Asia. So kung makikita nyo po, ang development ng officers would always be from eastern Europe while yun pong ratings ay dito sa atin sa southeast Asia o sa Pilipinas, Admin Amaro stressed. But what s most interesting is that eastern Europe has recently become an increasingly large supplier of seafarers, particularly officers coming from countries such as Ukraine, Croatia and Latvia. With those information, MARINA Administrator Amaro left an advice to his fellow seafarers to upgrade themselves and focus on becoming an officer to compete with the rest of the world. He encouraged the seafarers to upgrade the skills and competence because that s what the ship owners need. We need to ensure our seafarers are prepared and able for the jobs of tomorrow. But aside from the updates in the maritime industry, Amaro proudly expressed that from being ranked as the third in the top ten list of agencies with most number of problems to be resolved, it ranked down to number 12. The big difference in its current ranking only shows the drastic reduce of complaints in the last two months which means that the new MARINA Administration are now really working hard in serving the Filipino seafarers. The Maritime Week were held from September and with all the fun and inspirational talks, there s no reason for anyone to miss the chance of experiencing the National Maritime Week Celebration next year. TINIG NG MARINO 27

28 28 TINIG NG MARINO NOVEMBER - DECEMBER Marine fuel shortage looms in 2020 BIMCO BY RAFFY AYENG THE world's largest international shipping association has expressed its alarm over the looming marine fuel shortage in the year 2020, following the International Maritime Organization s (IMO) proposal to impose a capping of some percentage of sulfur content in marine fuel. Baltic and International Maritime Council (BIMCO) in a statement said that if the IMO- Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) will push through its decision to limit 0.5 percent sulfur content in marine fuel, may mean a scarcity in the marine fuel being used by the shipping industry worldwide. Just recently, the IMO after an extensive study has proposed the cap to help curb greenhouse gas emissions from ships. BIMCO cited that the world s largest international shipping association, has voiced serious concerns about some of the conclusions of the official study that will inform the decision of the MEPC over the implementation date of the 0.5 percent global sulphur cap. The association also insisted that the official IMO study which assessed the relevant availability of fuel oil has failed to fully address the IMO s terms of reference in BIMCO s view in several critical areas: On fuel oil quality. A significant amount of the fuel oil that the IMO study concludes will be available for marine use is unsafe to store and use onboard ships. On how an assessed shortage of sulphur removal capacity in refineries will be resolved so that capacity would be in place by The study fails to model the disruption that an overnight introduction of the global cap (from 31 December 2019) would cause. As a result, BIMCO states it is not possible to determine that the global refining industry will have the capacity to produce enough marine fuel by BIMCO also raises concerns that the supply of fuel to other sectors of the global economy could face major disruption if the scenario is not addressed beforehand. BIMCO, among others, has funded an independent supplementary study (carried out by EnSys and Navigistics) to assess the availability of marine fuel which addresses all the above issues. This study concluded that it is unlikely that there will be sufficient low sulphur fuel available in 2020, while maintaining uninterrupted supply of fuel to all other sectors of the global economy. According to Lars Robert Pedersen, Deputy Secretary General at BIMCO, said that it is clear that the IMO study is flawed, meaning it is not possible to determine from the study that there would be sufficient fuel available in On that basis, our opinion is that it would be irresponsible for IMO to make the decision to go for 2020 at MEPC 70 in October. There is clearly a need for additional analysis to ensure the supply chain for global trade is not seriously disrupted and developing nations are not hit hard by a lack of affordable energy. This is not about the cost of low sulphur fuel for ships that has long been known. We know that the shipping industry will buy the fuel they need. But if it is in short supply, the cost will rise not just for shipping but for all users of the fuel. This will price those in poorer economies out of the market, Pedersen further noted. The group also strongly believes that the issue is so complex but the difficulties in ensuring sufficient refinery capacity and the disruption caused by an overnight introduction have to be thoroughly taken into account.

29 NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2016 TINIG NG MARINO 29 Ships over 35 years old inspected by MARINA-7 BY RICK HALOG Cebu City- Ships aged 35 years and above are now being randomly inspected by the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA-7). The said random inspection aims to avoid sea mishaps as well as to guarantee the security of passengers. In a press conference, in accordance to the celebration of National Maritime Week, MA- RINA-7 Regional Director Nannette Dinopol revealed that they are currently doing a profiling of ships safety nationwide. She stated that inspecting the capability of the ships to sail specially the old ones is serious to be able to secure the lives of its passengers at sea. According to Dinopol, since a pretty major number would be affected, the procedure of creating a policy to phase out sea vessels aged 35 years old and above would be a slow and dreary one. There are 138 roll-onroll-off passenger ships and 365 ships of all types that are aged 35 years old and above, said Dinopol, pertaining to Central Visayas only. And in the event that the policy is approved, it has already been discussed with certain financial institutions to give package to ship owners that could possibly be affected with the said policy. But then, Dinopol made it clear that as of now there is no policy yet directed on the motion to phase out old ships though she stated that ship owners who wish to carry on with operations may perhaps employ local shipbuilders in order to diminish capital costs. On the contrary, an association expresses disagreement to the motion of phasing out old sea vessels. The Visayan Association of Ferryboat Services and Coastwise Operators (VAFSCO) contradict the motion since a lot of ship operators would be affected. VAFSCO president, Alexander Cohon, stated that a ship's security should be based on its consistent maintenance and proficiency of people managing the ship and not on its oldness. One can have a brand new ship but the crew manning, it is not well-equipped, Cohon pointed out. He also added that doing regular dry dock maintenance and necessary parts replacements enable the ships safe to travel. from page 25 TIPS FOR A CAREER ASHORE! trip back to sea interspersed with winning consultancy work ashore. A popular area for former seafarers is surveying, as this taps into maritime expertise, so can be something of a win-win. 7. PRAY FOR LUCK Ultimately identifying the best career path and pursuing it, is about making your own luck. Finding the roles which suit is important, then gaining experience and training - these are all layers in the pursuit of moving ashore and using seagoing experience to best effect. With those in place when job applications are sent out, then you should be heading closer to the top of the pile. Lastly, when all things being equal, lady luck plays the most surprising factor. In a recent study from Harvard University, as to a what makes a business a success or even landing a good job, only two words came out as a conclusion and perhaps the most convincing one - PURE LUCK. Good luck to all of us!!

30 30 TINIG NG MARINO NOVEMBER - DECEMBER Yellow fever 101 Its Causes and Preventions According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Yellow fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic disease transmitted by infected mosquitoes. The "yellow" in the name refers to the jaundice that affects some patients. Symptoms of yellow fever include fever, headache, jaundice, muscle pain, nausea, vomiting and fatigue. A small proportion of patients who contract the virus develop severe symptoms and approximately half of those die within 7 to 10 days. The virus is endemic in tropical areas of Africa and Central and South America. Since the launch of the Yellow Fever Initiative in 2006, significant progress in combatting the disease has been made in West Africa and more than 105 million people have been vaccinated in mass campaigns. No outbreaks of yellow fever were reported in West Africa during Large epidemics of yellow fever occur when infected people introduce the virus into heavily populated areas with high mosquito density and where most people have little or no immunity, due to lack of vaccination. In these conditions, infected mosquitoes transmit the virus from person to person. Yellow fever is prevented by an extremely effective vaccine, which is safe and affordable. A single dose of yellow fever vaccine is sufficient to confer sustained immunity and lifelong protection against yellow fever disease and a booster dose of the vaccine is not needed. The vaccine provides effective immunity within 30 days for 99% of persons vaccinated. Good supportive treatment in hospitals improves survival rates. There is currently no specific anti-viral drug for yellow fever. Signs and symptoms Once contracted, the yellow fever virus incubates in the body for 3 to 6 days. Many people do not experience symptoms, but when these do occur, the most common are fever, muscle pain with prominent backache, headache, loss of appetite, and nausea or vomiting. In most cases, symptoms disappear after 3 to 4 days. A small percentage of patients, however, enter a second, more toxic phase within 24 hours of recovering from initial symptoms. High fever returns and several body systems are affected, usually the liver and the kidneys. In this phase people are likely to develop jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes, hence the name yellow fever ), dark urine and abdominal pain with vomiting. Bleeding can occur from the mouth, nose, eyes or stomach. Half of the patients who enter the toxic phase die within 7-10 days. Yellow fever is difficult to diagnose, especially during the early stages. More severe disease can be confused with severe malaria, leptospirosis, viral hepatitis (especially fulminant forms), other hemorrhagic fevers, infection with other flaviviruses (e.g. dengue hemorrhagic fever), and poisoning. Blood tests (RT-PCR) can sometimes detect the virus in the early stages of the disease. In later stages of the disease, testing to identify antibodies is needed (ELISA and PRNT). Populations at risk Forty seven countries in Africa (34) and Central and South America (13) are either endemic for, or have regions that are endemic for, yellow fever. A modeling study based on African data sources estimated the burden of yellow fever during 2013 was 84, , 000 severe cases and 29, deaths. Occasionally travellers who visit yellow fever endemic countries may bring the disease to countries free from yellow fever. In order to prevent such importation of the disease, many countries require proof of vaccination against yellow fever before they will issue a visa, particularly if travellers come from, or have visited yellow fever endemic areas. In past centuries (17th to 19th), yellow fever was transported to North America and Europe, causing large outbreaks that disrupted economies, development and in some cases decimated populations. Transmission The yellow fever virus is an arbovirus of the flavivirus genus and is transmitted by mosquitoes, belonging to the Aedes and Haemogogus species. The different mosquito species live in different habitats - some breed around houses (domestic), others in the jungle (wild), and some in both habitats (semi-domestic). There are 3 types of transmission cycles: Sylvatic (or jungle) yellow fever: In tropical rainforests, monkeys, which are the primary reservoir of yellow fever, are bitten by wild mosquitoes which pass the virus on to other monkeys. Occasionally humans working or travelling in the forest are bitten by infected mosquitoes and develop yellow fever. Intermediate yellow fever: In this type of transmission, semi-domestic mosquitoes (those that breed both in the wild and around households) infect both monkeys and people. Increased contact between people and infected mosquitoes leads to increased transmission and many separate villages in an area can develop outbreaks at the same time. This is the most common type of outbreak in Africa. Urban yellow fever: Large epidemics occur when infected people introduce the virus into heavily populated areas with high mosquito density and where most people have little or no immunity, due to lack of vaccination. In these conditions, infected mosquitoes transmit the virus from person to person. Treatment Good and early supportive treatment in hospitals improves survival rates. There is currently no specific anti-viral drug for yellow fever but specific care to treat dehydration, liver and kidney failure, and fever improves outcomes. Associated bacterial infections can be treated with antibiotics. Prevention 1. Vaccination Vaccination is the most important means of preventing yellow fever. In high-risk areas where vaccination coverage is low, prompt recognition and control of outbreaks using mass immunization is critical for preventing epidemics. It is important to vaccinate most (80 % or more) of the population at risk to prevent transmission in a region with a yellow fever outbreak. Several vaccination strategies are used to protect against outbreaks: routine infant immunization; mass vaccination campaigns designed to increase coverage in countries at risk; and vaccination of travellers going to yellow fever endemic areas. The yellow fever vaccine is Continued on page 42

31 NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2016 from page 4 Ten Years of Failure What, then, is the value of maritime schooling, especially now that every information can be simply made available online? If the schools cannot offer anything beyond textbook knowledge, then what s the point? Let me just address the elephant in the room: the maritime educational system in the Philippines is designed for maximum profitability, instead of prioritizing excellence. From the moment you step in college as a freshman, your parents will be hemorrhaging thousands of pesos. Part of the reason why overhauling the system is so challenging is because there is too much inertia from those who stand to lose money once the system is streamlined, and of course, no one wants that. Think about this: CHED s accreditation process for maritime colleges and universities allocates a certain number of points for mundane supplies like chalkboards, chairs, tables, etc. Yet, they will award zero points for owning a real-life functioning ship that the students can use for hands-on experience. They justify their logic by arguing that unlike chalkboards, a working vessel is not stored within the school grounds, therefore, it could not be legitimately considered as school property. By that same thinking, a school owner who purchases one hundred chalkboards will be considered as more qualified for accreditation than a school owner who decides to acquire and maintain a multi-million ship to be used for real-world training. Given this scenario, where is the incentive for schools owners to invest in facilities that will assure quality education? Now that the K-12 policy is in place, maritime officers and engineers have to go through a seven-year career path, starting from the last two years of high school when students have to decide on their tracks. Recently, MARINA presented a modified plan that would shorten this path by a few months, but even that was rejected by CHED for being too disruptive of the status quo. If that s the prevailing attitude against educational reform, what hope do we have of untangling the mess that the system has created? I am worried, to tell you the truth. The only reason why EMSA has been so tolerant of our failures is because to ban our officers will seriously impact the work flow of EU-flagged vessels. If you may recall, there did not worry about that in the case of Georgia, and Georgia had no other choice but to do what EMSA has asked them to do. But how much longer will EMSA s patience last, especially now that other countries like China and India are becoming aggressive about deploying more and more of their seafarers in place of their own? We don t even have a valid Plan B, can you imagine? The lack of political will is TINIG NG MARINO 31 endangering the livelihood of 80,000 seafarers currently serving on EUflagged vessels. As EU Transport Commissioner Maximilian Strotman said, the ability to demonstrate the technical and legal preparedness of maritime education system is non-negotiable. The issue with STCW compliance isn t that the Philippines is doing nothing; on the contrary, we are doing a lot. Unfortunately, we are doing the wrong kind of things: ever since 2006, EMSA has been saying that we need a system of quality management and effective monitoring. That s what they keep saying, but that s not what we are doing. There are still substandard schools turning out thousands of graduates every year, even though only about 15% will ever set foot on a ship. In 2013, CHED and MARINA declared 91 that 91 maritime schools did not meet quality standards, but how many of these were actually shut down? Our government agencies need to get their act together. It s been ten years of failure already after all. Hanjin Shipping s Crew to Get Aid from Mission to Seafarers BY RICK HALOG As the Hanjin Shipping filed for receivership last month, thousands of jobs were put at risk. Thus, The Mission to Seafarers, an organization who works in over 200 ports in 50 countries caring for seafarers of all ranks, nationalities and beliefs, comes to the rescue. The organization s Director of Justice and Public Affairs, Mr. Ken Peters, announced that the organization will be giving assistance to the crews of Hanjin Shipping. Today we have written a letter offering our support to Hanjin Shipping and their seafarers. If the ships continue to be blocked from entering a port, there could be a welfare crisis for these seafarers, as vessels will quickly run out of food, fuel and essential provisions. Seafarers will be very anxious and their families at home will be concerned and distressed. The Mission to Seafarers has now issued a global alert to all our 200 port welfare teams to be ready to assist Hanjin seafarers when they come into port. We have also asked Hanjin to publish the global Seafarer Helpline details to all their crewing agencies, so that should seafarers have an emergency, they can quickly find help, Mr. Peters announced. Simon Ro, the port chaplain of Busan, South Korea of The Mission to Seafarers, stated: We have Hanjin vessels currently waiting at Busan port. Our Flying Angels ship-visiting group, which is made up of 10 volunteers from the Korea Maritime and Ocean University (KMOU), have been visiting on board. They report that seafarers are worried about their wages and are concerned that there have been calls from some officials for the crews to be sent home. They have also told me that there is concern about shortages of supplies on board. Hanjin Shipping is a South Korean container shipping giant and the world s seventh-largest line. Some port authorities are declining access due to possible arrest of the ships upon its arrival. With the financial situation at such a critical phase, funds to unload the ships are still uncertain.

32 32 TINIG NG MARINO NOVEMBER - DECEMBER Our Senior Officers say 'Mabuhay!' to excellenc The Senior Officers' Management Conference (SOMC) held at Manila, Philippines from 18 to 22 July 2016 brought together a total of 110 Senior Officers along with 49 spouses and 59 kids from Bangladesh, Burma, China, Ghana, India, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Russia and Ukraine with the theme "Moving Energy: Consistently Performing Better". Together with Eagle Star Crew Management Corporation providing ground support, this fifth collaboration between AET Shipmanagement (AETSM) and MISC Fleet Management Service (FMS) continued to focus on strengthening our group synergy as well as the working relationship between both organisations. The five-day joint conference allowed sharing of best practices and inculcated high standards of safety culture through various case studies, reflective learning approaches and the internalising of organisation values to drive operational excellence across the MISC Group. Driving organization values At the conference opening, both Captain Ashok Sherpa of AETSM and Captain Uganathan Raman of FMS shared the importance of embracing the MISC Group s organizational values to achieve the common goal of business excellence. Mr. Alphonse Peter from AL Solutions further reinforced the importance of values in his topic, Driving Organisation Values in Leaders. He shared how values are translated into behaviours which can become building blocks for organisation culture and enable us to achieve desired results. Safety, Operational and Customer Service Excellence The conference set an excellent platform for direct engagement between the shore management teams and sea officers as they shared expectations on safety, operational excellence and industry best practices. Over the five days course, the participants were taken through an array of workshops that were specifically designed to address real life case studies by reflective learning and role play activities which enabled the officers to go through actual scenarios and better appreciate the consequences based on the actions taken. Other event highlights include the presentations and sharing sessions by external speakers on various subjects such as "Crucial Conversation Skills and Media Management in Crisis Communications. To strengthen the conference's objectives, representatives from different organisations were invited to provide different perspectives to help participants understand service excellence. These speakers included Captain Mahesh Pratap Singh, Vetting Head of Philips 66 and Mr. Thomas Tan, Vice President of American Bureau of Shipping (ABS). Engagement with AET s President & CEO and Senior Management Team During the conference, AET s participants had the opportunity to engage with President & CEO Captain Rajalingam Subramaniam and members of our Executive Leadership Team including Global Director of Product Shipping Gerald Ong and Global Director of Shipmanagement Captain John Baptist, supported by all the Shipmanagement s HODs. Capt. Rajalingam also gave away long service awards to 10 recipients; applauding them for their hard work and dedication to the company.

33 NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2016 e within the MISC Group TINIG NG MARINO 33 Engagement with Head of FMS Captain Raja Sager, Head of FMS, shares the FMS s strategy and initiatives in supporting MISC's 2020 goals. This insight enhanced their understanding on how officers can play an active role to support the Group's aspirations. Engagement with Group President/CEO of MISC Berhad The most anticipated session was the engagement with Mr Yee, who delivered an impactful address when he shared the business performance and direction of MISC Group for the next five years. Mr Yee reiterated the need to continue building capabilities, not only to fuel growth but to develop aspiring leaders in the Group within the near future. On behalf of the Group, Mr Yee also thanked the officers for consistently demonstrating excellence and professionalism. He rallied for a stronger synergy between both MISC and AET to achieve business excellence and be a leading one-stop maritime centre in the shipping industry. Epaulette ceremony Awards and promotions are always a moment of pride, not only for the recipients, but also for the organization as a whole. Mr. Yee, Captain Raja, Captain John and Head of FMS Captain Raja Sager presented epaulettes to seven Senior Officers who were recently promoted. The conference ended on a high note with an appreciation dinner bearing the theme "Jazz Night" where the ballroom was transformed with decorations to reflect the theme. Guests were delighted with the mesmerising performance of Mr.Author Manuntag, who stunned the audience with his multi-ranged vocals. The dinner gave everyone an opportunity to unwind, relax and enjoy each other's company over a selection of refreshments and entertainment.

34 34 TINIG NG MARINO NOVEMBER - DECEMBER World Maritime Day 2016: Highlighting the Role of Maritime Transport in Global Economy BY KIMBERLY FRIVALDO During the annual celebration of World Maritime Day with the theme Shipping: indispensable to the world, UN officials have stated that shipping is essential to the world and to meeting the challenges of the sustainable development agenda with its significance in supporting and sustaining today s global society. As the UN chief stated in his message on the World Maritime Day which was celebrated Sept. 29, maritime transport is the backbone of global trade and the global economy. According to the Secretary-General, shipping industry has played an important part in the dramatic improvements in global living standards that have taken millions of people out of acute poverty in recent years. Everybody in the world benefits from shipping, yet few people realize it. We ship food, technology, medicines, and memories. As the world s population continues to grow, particularly in developing countries, low-cost and efficient maritime transport has an essential role to play in growth and sustainable development, he mentioned. He also emphasized that every country depends on maritime trade to sell what they have and purchase their needs, thus no country is independent. In addition, he said that the employments and livelihoods of billions of people in the developing world depend on ships and shipping. The Secretary-General believes that shipping contributes in securing the equal distribution of the benefits of trade and commerce. But then, most of the people are ignorant of the importance of the shipping industry. The shipping industry will be just as critical for the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the plan agreed upon by all global leaders last year for people, peace, planet prosperity and partnership, the UN chief said. And with that, the Secretary-General stressed that the International Maritime Organization (IMO) plays a vital role as the international regulatory body for an industry that spans the globe. I M O Secretary-General Kitack Lim then highlighted in his message, that shipping has a major role to play in translating the momentum generated by the 2030 Agenda and the Paris Agreement on climate change into tangible improvements in the lives of people. He stated that ships have never been so technically advanced, so sophisticated, never carried so much cargo, never been safer and never been as environment-friendly as they are today. Thanks to the global fleet and global workforce of over one million seafarers that the import and export of goods on the scale necessary to sustain the modern world can take place. He also expressed that IMO s effort creates a strong involvement in making sustainable economic growth, employment, prosperity and stability which can all be upgraded through developing maritime trade, improving port infrastructure and IMO Secretary General Kitack Lim and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon efficiency, and promoting seafaring as a career especially within the developing world. As the World Maritime Day theme for 2016 so rightly acknowledges, shipping is indispensable to the world and is set to remain central to world economic growth as we make the inevitable transition towards an era of clean and sustainable development, Secretary-General Lim concluded.

35 NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2016 TINIG NG MARINO 35 MERRY CHRISTMAS, SAILORS! BY ENGR. RAINERO B. MORGIA, MSC ENV Most of us are blessed with family and friends during the holidays but Christmas can be a lonely time for seafarers. At a time when these men and women are feeling the loneliness of being away from their loved ones and families. What s a little something extra that can be provided as a gift for them this Christmas considering some these facts : Over 90 percent of our world trade is carried out by the sea providing work to 1.5 million seafarers. Shipping is an intern industry. In today s global market, you might have a Greek owned vessel, registered in Malta with officers or crew mostly Filipinos, Indians or other Asian countries. The threat is real one of the most dangerous occupations, rate of suicide is triple than that of the shore workers and they are more likely to be killed at work. The threat of piracy, kidnapping and terrorism is always given. And yet the world depends on them. Mariners are the backbone of global commerce, trade movement, and world s economy. Their labor greatly impacts what we buy and sell. It s a high time to prepare something for them this Christmas! One way is to educate them on financial importance and avoid making mistakes or financial traps. Hopefully, this will be a learning lesson and the best Christmas gift package it will open: The Ten Common Financial Mistakes Seafarers Make are as follows (Source: Importance of Financial Planning for Seafarers) Dependence on Ship Owners These are changing and so are the ship owners and requirements of seafarers. Just because salaries have not increased in real terms does not mean that the cost of living on shore has not increased. In fact, the cost of living, the medical expenses and also the life aspirations on shore have gone up substantially. Unless we plan our finances wisely and realistically, we would be in for a serious shock in our later lives. No Medical Insurance Seafarers often do not have their own medical insurance. They feel that the ship owners will cover them for any eventuality. This is not true because during the leave period, most of the companies do not cover them. Hence, if something happens during their leave, the medical and other related expenses can be huge. No Life Insurance A sailor thinks that the ship owner is providing them with adequate life cover. Little do seafarers realize that the insurance cover is only for the tenure of their working period on board. Wrong Type of Insurance What is more worse is that even if the seafarers take Life Insurance Policies, they are mostly money back or endowment policies which do not have a large coverage amount but in the garb of giving back the money they charge astronomically premiums. Please do not fall for such Life Insurance. A good insurance for half a million pesos should not be more than 3K pesos if you are below 30 years old or a non-smoker. No Emergency Fund Today, sailors leave home for a period of more than eight months. Though the salary is regularly sent home via allotments, sometimes it does not reach or is not sufficient. There are situations when a family member is seriously sick and if there is no medical insurance, the cash outgo can be huge. For such occasions, seafarers must deposit money on a separate account for at least three months of home expenses so that it serves as an emergency fund. No Proper Plan for Savings Though the modern seafarer is getting wiser than their predecessors, most of the times, they either do not save or save sufficient savings. If the seafarer does not start saving in the initial years when he is not married or have any major responsibility, it can get a bit serious as he will lose the advantage of being an early bird. Looking Into High Value Houses at Inappropriate Times A house is a must for every human being and is the third necessity after food and clothing. It is always advisable to acquire shelter as early as possible.. However, we should take into consideration of the city that one intends to settle down and also the area. A big and popular Metro may be a good attraction but if you intend to make a career at sea, is it worthwhile staying in a bigger city with limited and expensive resources? Shifting to a smaller city or to a suburb might be cheaper today and which eventually may easily develop in five to 10 years time. Also if you take a very high value loan with a high rate of interest early in life, it may hamper your professional and financial progress and even put a high burden on you during a stage in your life when you need cash for a lot of things. Trusting Various Financial Personnel Easily Because of our limited exposure to methods on shore, we start seeing various agents and employees of the bank. Most of the useless plans and insurances are sold to us without our for the same by the beautiful ladies at the glittering banks, which they have now become. I myself have been a victim of missed selling. All of these plans burn a very large hole in your pocket in the long run. It is very simple you are buying bananas, when actually you need apple. Most of this wrong guidelines come from known people or relatives, who either sell it to seafarers themselves or connect them to the wrong people. Avoid this mistake. Learn to educate yourself and make a wise decision. Spending Too Much On Things You Use Little In an initial years at sea, we have longer contracts. As a result the latest gadgets that one buys are not utilized. Most of them are bought with the inputs from their colleagues or friends on shore or because of the ads you see at the airport while joining or signing off from the ship. Just imagine during a 6-month contract you buy an iphone when you actually can not call with it while at sea. Instead of just buying a tablet or laptop which could be more useful, the iphone has already become obsolete with a new version already out in the market after boarding the ship. Expensive bikes or cars are other objects of desire that seafarers purchase and leave home while staying for longer periods of time at sea. Not Keeping In Touch With Developments News from home should not only consist of basketball, politics or telenovelas. News of opportunities can save and make money if you can utilize it at the right time. If done properly, it will be assured that in about 10 years of working, you will have two sources of income and perhaps may live on interest alone. Finally, invest wisely this Christmas. You may be earning enough and be home on the next holidays!

36 36 TINIG NG MARINO NOVEMBER - DECEMBER Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd. considers closing its Shipbuilding Business BY KIMBERLY CHAVEZ FRIVALDO Japan's Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd said that they would consider a radical revision for their shipbuilding business due to low liquidity and decreasing profitability. The company is still negotiating whether to continue with their business venture and will take a decision until the end of the fiscal year in March The Company decreased its profit forecast due to stronger yen against the dollar and a decline in operating profitability from the shipbuilding business. Global Shipbuilding companies have been suffering from a slide in a new vessel orders amid a volatile global economy decreasing container and bulk shipping, as well as problematic offshore sector. Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd is a public multinational corporation which basically known as a manufacturer of motorcycles, heavy equipment, cargo ships, aerospace and defense around the globethe company operates one of the largest shipyards in the Country-Kobe Works. Kawasaki Shipbuilding Corporation is a subsidiary of Kawasaki Heavy Industries, which product range a high-performance LNG and LPG carriers, container ships, bulk carriers and VLCCs. The company also involved in the development of offshore structures and research vessels, as well as marine machinery and equipment.

37 NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2016 ELPIDIO C. NOLASCO, MD, FPCS, PACS General & Cancer Surgeon, Laparoscopic Surgeon President & Medical Director, Nolasco International Medical & Diagnostic Clinic Smoking and Cancer TINIG NG MARINO 37 HEALTH TIPS Each individual s DNA is the backbone of his body s constitution. DNA dictates the way the cells of the body grow and function. Damage to one s DNA may be brought about by exposure to poisons and radiation. This can eventually lead to uncontrollable growth creating cancerous tumors. HOW DOES TOBACCO EXPOSURE THROUGH SMOKING CAUSE CANCER? Many of the poisons found in tobacco can damage your DNA and lead to cancer. Poisons in tobacco not only damage the DNA, but they weaken the cells that fight the tumor. The bottom line is that tobacco causes cancer and then prevents your body from fighting it. WHAT TYPE OF CANCER CAN TOBACCO EXPOSURE CAUSE? Most lung cancers are caused by smoking. Tobacco use can also cause cancer in many other areas of your body. Cancers of the throat, mouth, nose, larynx (voice box), esophagus, stomach, pancreas, kidney, uterus, bladder, cervix, blood, and bone marrow are all linked to tobacco use. WHAT ARE SOME SIGNS OF CANCER? Cancer often grows for a long time without causing any signs or symptoms. Some signs and symptoms are commonly seen with cancer but are also seen with many other health problems. This is why it is important for you to have regular health checkups and report any things that seem abnormal to you. You should consider getting evaluated if you have the following: Cough that does not go away or if you cough up blood New or worsening shortness of breath Unexplained weight loss The best way to lower your risk of developing cancer is to avoid the things that can cause cancer. The following are some of the things you can do to prevent cancer: Stay away from tobacco and tobacco smoke Eat healthy foods Exercise Get regular health checkups Talk to your health care provider about whether you should get screened for lung cancer WILL QUITTING SMOKING MAKE MY CANCER GO AWAY? Unfortunately, once you have cancer, quitting smoking will not make the cancer go away, but it may make your life better. Studies show that people with lung cancer who stop smoking, have a better quality of life than those who do not quit smoking. Treatment for lung cancer (such as surgery or chemotherapy), seem to work better for people who do not smoke. Those who quit often spend more time at home than in the hospital and are able to do the things they want to do. So even if you have cancer, quitting can make a big difference in your life. WHAT SHOULD I DO NOW TO AVOID THIS CONDITION? Stop smoking or using tobacco products (your health care provider can help you with this step) Avoid second and third hand smoke (this will be discussed soon) Do not let your children get exposed to smoke.

38 38 TINIG NG MARINO NOVEMBER - DECEMBER CONG. EMMELINE Y. AGLIPAY - VILLAR Representative, DIWA Party-List Congress of the Philippines WORKERS' VANGUARD EXPEDITING THE PROCESS FOR REPATRIATION REQUESTS OF FILIPINO MIGRANT WORKERS A few years ago a friend asked my assistance for the repatriation of the remains of her sister, an overseas migrant worker who died in the Middle East. Despite my willingness to provide the requested assistance, my ways are limited as I was confronted with complexities involved in the repatriation of an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW). Repatriation for our OFWs entails a costly, complicated and long process. It involves paperwork, unfamiliar bureaucracy, repatriation expenses, and peculiar customs and traditions, which is aggravated by the fact that all these should be translated in a foreign language. While our existing law, the Republic Act 8042 or known as "Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995" prescribes how repatriation should be carried out, it does not simplify or expedite the process. Under Section 15 Republic Act 8042 or known as "Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995", when an OFW dies, falls ill, is laid off from a job or for some other similar cause is required to be repatriated, it is the recruitment agency who shall primarily be responsible and shall bear all costs of repatriation. While in cases of war, epidemics, disasters or calamities, natural or man-made, and other similar events, the OWWA, in coordination with appropriate agencies, shall undertake the repatriation of workers without prejudice to reimbursement by the responsible principal or recruitment agency, and in case the principal or recruitment agency cannot be identified, OWWA shall bear all costs relating to the repatriation of the OFW. While the law provides repatriation remedy for our OFWs, it does not specify a definite period of time within which repatriation must be completed. In most cases, repatriation process could take months or even years giving rise to situations wherein pleas to return home are lost amidst bureaucratic red tape and procedural bottlenecks. In fact, despite the existing law on repatriation a looming number of distressed or stranded overseas Filipino migrant workers (OFW) in different parts of the world wait for months and even years before being repatriated. The duration for completing the repatriation process varies depending on the reason for repatriation or status of our OFWs. On top of this, we are unaccustomed to the varied repatriation requirements of different countries. However, I believe that we should not be tied down by the bureaucratic setbacks. I think if we will impose a deadline for the OWWA and DFA, they can expedite their process to ensure the immediate repatriation of our stranded, distressed or deceased migrant workers within a prescribed period. As to the diversified requirements from different countries, we can compel the embassies and consulates, being familiar with the laws and practices in their host countries, to work on solutions to improve and fast-tract the repatriation process. Providing for a specific period within which to complete the repatriation process will oblige these concerned agencies to ensure that requests for repatriation are processed and attended with the appropriate urgency. I have to commend the efforts of our present administration to reach out to our OFWs and give assistance to provide an immediate solution to the long standing concerns involving the complicated and lengthy process of repatriation. But I must admit that the long accumulating queues of requests for repatriation require a permanent solution that is why I find it imperative to have a law that shall address the need to expedite the repatriation process of Filipino migrant workers. In the 17th Congress I filed House Bill An Act to Expedite the Process of Repatriation of Filipino Migrant Workers which is now pending before the Committee on Overseas Workers Affairs. Under my proposed measure, the OWWA shall ensure that the migrant worker is repatriated within fifteen (15) working days from the date that notice of approval is given to the requesting party and if the migrant worker is deceased, the repatriation shall be completed within thirty (30) working days. This law also requires all licensed recruitment agencies to provide the POEA with a current and active address and penalize agencies for failure to respond to communications from POEA concerning repatriation. Also included under this law is a specific provision to expedite replacement of detained passports to address the unscrupulous practices of employers confiscating the passports of the OFW. This law primarily aims to address the loopholes of our existing regulations and other obstacles to immediate repatriation. I fervently hope that my fellow legislators will also find the urgency to pass this law and join my advocacy to alleviate the quandary of our modern day heroes.

39 NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2016 TINIG NG MARINO 39 New Memorandum Order on increased visibility in major coastal areas BY RICK HALOG A memorandum order was issued by President Rodrigo Duterte commanding the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) to intensify its activities related to the enforcement and maintenance of maritime safety and security to prevent lawlessness at sea which includes severe enforcement of maritime security communications protocol to enhance detection of any threat to maritime safety and security. Memorandum Order (MO) 4, signed on September 26 by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, states that "There is a need for a comprehensive implementation of the President's directive to prevent further loss of innocent lives and destruction of property in the entire Philippine territory, including the country s maritime jurisdiction, with due respect for and protection of the fundamental civil and political rights of our citizens" With this order, PCG was tasked to inspect all merchant ships and vessels to ensure compliance with safety standards, rules and regulations as well as conducting a surveillance and inspection of persons, vessels and watercrafts navigating within the maritime jurisdiction of the Philippines. The memo also indicates that PCG should control the flow of traffic of vessels within the maritime jurisdiction of the Philippines, along with marshaling of passenger-laden vessels nationwide. In accordance to the said directive, an additional PCG units and personnel shall immediately be deployed in all Philippine ports, harbors, and major coastal areas in order to increase visibility and security. PCG would also coordinate with the Maritime Industry Authority in maintaining a unified numbering system for all Philippine-registered vessels, watercrafts and water conveyances that are not covered by the International Maritime Organization numbering system. The Department of Justice was also ordered by Pres. Duterte to closely coordinate with the PCG and other law-enforcement agencies for the immediate investigation and prosecution of individuals held for committing or attempting to commit acts of lawless violence. Through this memo, this would also make the PCG contribute in implementing the guidelines of the state of national emergency that the President issued in early September. Memorandum Order 4 exactly tends to expand the application of MO 3 that aims to deploy the government forces on major streets and thorough fares, as well as near crowded places. The order then rooted from the recent bombing at a night market of Davao City that killed at least 14 people which made the Palace release Proclamation 55, declaring a state of national emergency to prevent the widespread of lawless violence nationwide last September 6.

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41 NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2016 TINIG NG MARINO 41 Seafarers' remittances up 1.9 % in first half of 2016 THE hard-earned money sent by Filipino seafarers has reached $3.8 Billion from January to August of 2016 or 1.9 percent higher compared last year of the said period. In a statement, BSP Deputy Governor and officer-in-charge Nestor A. Espenilla Jr. supposed that cash remittances from sea-based workers fell moderately by 1.9 percent to reach $3.8 billion while land-based workers rose by 6.5 percent to $13.1 billion. In August, Espenilla also said that cash sent home by Filipinos living and working abroad grew at its fastest pace in over two years, jumping 16.3 percent year-on-year to $2.319 billion. The official also added that cash remittances from Filipinos overseas last August increased from $1.994 billion a year ago, marking the fastest yearly growth since March 2014 s 16.6 percent. So far this year, the remittance flows in August were the third biggest on a monthly basis, only exceeded by March s $2.362 billion and June s $2.332 billion. The rebound validates that the recent slip in remittances was a mere reporting issue and the shift in the school year calendar, causing yearon-year numbers to shift from weakness to gains to contraction back to gains as seasonality is adjusting, Bank of the Philippine Islands associate economist Nicholas Antonio T. Mapa said in a note to clients. At the end of the first eight months, cash remittances totaled $ billion, up 4.6 percent from $ billion as of end-august last year. Year-to-date remittance growth improved at end-august compared with three percent as of July, although slower than the 6.6-percent increase a year ago. Four-fifths of end-august cash remittances were from Filipinos in the following countries: Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States, Espenilla added. The school year shift forced the migration of remittances usually sent in one month to the next month with classes shifting opening schedules. The year-to-date growth rates remain on track, up 4.6 percent, after the rebound in August. For the next few months, we will continue to see remittance numbers vacillate from month to month but the year-to-date growth numbers are expected to remain in decent growth ranges. Also, expect sourcing of remittances to shift as the BSP is better able to vet which remittances are sourced from which domicile, Mapa said. Peso growth of remittances jumped a whopping 20.7 percent, which will translate to a surge in purchasing power to drive the consumption and investment growth of the Philippine growth engine in the third quarter, Mapa added. BY RAFFY AYENG

42 42 TINIG NG MARINO NOVEMBER - DECEMBER UK urged to invest more in maritime training facilities BY RAFFY AYENG A top honcho in the world s maritime industry has urged the United Kingdom to invest more in the maritime training facilities if it still aims to maintain its global lead against other countries. During the inaugural of UK Shipping Summit in London last September, 2016, Nautilus International general secretary Mark Dickinson said that significant investment in Britain is essential if training facilities are to keep pace with technology and the government must to do more to head of increased competition from other countries. Mr. Dickinson said the government must improve its support for seafarer training and help colleges invest in the hi-tech facilities required for the future. Ministers must not see this as state aid, but rather state investment that will be paid back many times over, he added. This in the midst of a growing challenge that the UK is facing when it comes to re-earning its long time reputation as the world s leading maritime nation. But Mr. Dickinson told a session on training that the UK cannot afford to be complacent and urgent action is needed to follow through on last year s Maritime Growth Study. With big data and technology transforming the industry, radical changes in seafarer training will be required, Mr. Dickinson argued. But, he stressed, the fundamental need for maritime skills will remain. At a time when ships are ever more sophisticated and complex and the super-sizing of many vessel multiplies the risk consequences of an accident, it is more essential than ever before that we have highly skilled and experienced personnel operating those vessels. The brave new world will not run on algorithms alone. It needs to be rooted in experience and must somehow embrace the principles and practices of seamanship and handling, Dickinson explained. Another industry stakeholder, transport minister Lord Ahmad backed Dickinson s statement and further said that the maritime sector is absolutely central to the government post Brexit industrial strategy and its vision of being a global trading nation with an open economy. Ahmad further noted that the UK rightly applauds the quality of its seafarers, but many countries around the world are seeking to develop a similar reputation for maritime training excellence. For his part, City of Glasgow College CEO Paul Little said his college has invested more the 200m in new facilities but finding the money in the age of austerity is a major challenge. While the UK s Maritime Training is five to nine years ahead of other major nations, he warned of the need to plan ahead and not to rely on short-term thinking. Nigel Lehmann-Taylor, head of UK Shipping for Maersk, meanwhile noted there is no shortage of good young people coming forward to train as seafarers. Maersk has just taken on 34 cadets selected from a total of 396 applications. However, he added shipping companies want value for money and British cadres are the second most expensive to train in the world. He said the government needs to recognize that shipping is a special case and secure an agreement between departments to transfer an additional 15m into the Support for Maritime Training scheme. Kevin Slade, chairman of the Merchant Navy Training Board, said seafarers training is alive and well in the UK with four colleges specializing in maritime education and a total of 88 STCW training centers registered with the Maritime & Coastguard Agency. But he warned that countries like Singapore and India are seeking to take business away from the UK. To keep the UK as a major maritime center, we need a constant supply of expertise, he added. Less than one-third of UK-certificated officers are UK nationals, Mr. Slade pointed out, and the cadet intake ought to rise by at least 50 percent to meet future needs. He suggested that the UK needs a training ship to provide additional berths for sea time. from page 30 Yellow fever 101 Its Causes and Preventions safe and affordable and a single dose provides life-long protection against yellow fever disease. A booster dose of yellow fever vaccine is not needed. There have been rare reports of serious side-effects from the yellow fever vaccine. The rates for these severe adverse events following immunization (AEFI), when the vaccine provokes an attack on the liver, the kidneys or on the nervous system, leading to hospitalization, are between 0.4 and 0.8 per people vaccinated. The risk is higher for people over 60 years of age and anyone with severe immunodeficiency due to symptomatic HIV/AIDS or other causes, or who have a thymus disorder. People over 60 years of age should be given the vaccine after a careful risk-benefit assessment. People who are usually excluded from vaccination include: infants aged less than 9 months, except during an epidemic when infants aged 6-9 months, in areas where the risk of infection is high, should also receive the vaccine; pregnant women except during a yellow fever outbreak when the risk of infection is high; people with severe allergies to egg protein; and people with severe immunodeficiency due to symptomatic HIV/ AIDS or other causes, or who have a thymus disorder. In accordance with the International Health Regulations (IHR), countries have the right to require travellers to provide a certificate of yellow fever vaccination. If there are medical grounds for not getting vaccinated, this must be certified by the appropriate authorities. The IHR are a legally binding framework to stop the spread of infectious diseases and other health threats. Requiring the certificate of vaccination from travellers is at the discretion of each State Party, and it is not currently required by all countries. 2. Mosquito control The risk of yellow fever transmission in urban areas can be reduced by eliminating potential mosquito breeding sites by applying larvicides to water storage containers and other places where standing water collects. Insecticide spraying to kill adult mosquitoes during urban epidemics can help reduce the number of mosquitoes, thus reducing potential sources of yellow fever transmission. Historically, mosquito control campaigns successfully eliminated Aedes aegypti, the urban yellow fever vector, from most of Central and South America. However, Aedes aegypti has re-colonized urban areas in the region, raising a renewed risk of urban yellow fever. Mosquito control programmes targeting wild mosquitoes in forested areas are not practical for preventing jungle (or sylvatic) yellow fever transmission. 3. Epidemic preparedness and response Prompt detection of yellow fever and rapid response through emergency vaccination campaigns are essential for controlling outbreaks. However, underreporting is a concern the true number of cases is estimated to be 10 to 250 times what is now being reported. WHO recommends that every at-risk country have at least one national laboratory where basic yellow fever blood tests can be performed. One laboratory-confirmed case of yellow fever in an unvaccinated population is considered an outbreak. A confirmed case in any context must be fully investigated, particularly in an area where most of the population has been vaccinated. Investigation teams must assess and respond to the outbreak with both emergency measures and longerterm immunization plans. (Source: World Health Organization (WHO)

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44 44 TINIG NG MARINO NOVEMBER - DECEMBER Maritime Labor Convention Amendments in Malta to protect seafarers, kin versus perils at sea BY RAFFY AYENG SEAFARERS in Malta will now be secured during on-board and while they are attending to their jobs, as the Malta Flag Administration is set to complete in the next few weeks the drafting of amendments to the Merchant Shipping (Maritime Labor Convention) Rules (Legal Notice 145 of 2013) which transpose the 2014 Amendments to the Code of the Maritime Labor Convention ('The ILO Amendments') issued by the International Labor Organization (ILO). This will ensure better protection to seafarers of Maltese vessels, along with their kin, in the case of abandonment, death and longterm disability via the introduction of an expeditious and effective financial security system. The Maltese amendments shall enter into force in January 2017 as provided in the ILO Amendments. The ILO Amendments propose the addition of 'Standard A2.5.2' to the Maritime Labor Convention ( the 'MLC'), paragraph 2 of which holds that a seafarer shall be deemed to have been abandoned where, in violation of the requirements of the MLC or the terms of the seafarers' employment agreement, the shipowner fails to cover the cost of the seafarer's repatriation, or the shipowner has not provided the seafarer with the necessary maintenance and support, or he has otherwise unilaterally severed ties with the seafarer including failure to pay contractual wages for a period of at least two months. To counteract the effects of abandonment, Standard A2.5.2 stipulates that each Member State shall ensure the adoption of a financial security system meeting the requirements of the Amendments for all vessels flying its flag. This system shall provide direct access, sufficient coverage and expedited financial assistance in one of many forms, including social security schemes, insurance, national funds or other similar arrangements. Choice of form shall be determined by the Member State in question after consultation with the shipowners' and seafarers' organizations concerned. Moreover, every Member State shall require ships flying its flag to carry on board a certificate or other documentary evidence of financial security issued by the financial security provider. The assistance provided by the financial security system shall be granted promptly upon request by the seafarer, or his nominated representative, and shall cover outstanding wages and other entitlements under the employment agreement limited to four months of any such outstanding wages or entitlements, all expenses reasonably incurred by the seafarer including the cost of repatriation, and all the essential needs of the seafarer including but not limited to food and accommodation. The provision of financial security shall not cease before the end of its period of validity, except with prior notification of at least one month to the competent authority of the flag State. The implementation of the ILO Amendments will further underline the ILO's commitment to guarantee fundamental principles and rights at work, by enabling the persons concerned to claim freely and on the basis of equality of opportunity, a fair share of the wealth which they have helped to generate. The timely transposition of the ILO Amendments into Maltese law ensures that Maltese maritime law retains its position at the forefront of legal developments as they occur.

45 NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2016 TINIG NG MARINO Asian hostages freed after four years BY JUDY DOMINGO After almost five years of captivity, 26 Asian hostages were finally freed by the Somali pirates, with the help of negotiations by a former British army colonel who worked to release forgotten hostages. The crews were held after their Omani-flagged fishing vessel, Naham 3, was hijacked in March 2012 south of the Seychelles. It was the last commercial ship seized at the height of the country s piracy scourge. John Steed, the British army colonel and also a coordinator of the Hostage Support Partners (HSP), stated that the path of freeing the hostages was risky and consumes a lot of bravery and the negotiations for the release of the hostages, which took 18 months, involved mediation with community, tribal and religious leaders. But then they are now very pleased to announce the release of the Naham 3 crews. On the other hand, he told the AFP that the task of returning the crews to their families still had one problem. That is pulling the crews out from the city of Galkayo, where a battle was uncontrolled between forces from the rival regional states of Putland and Galmudug. There is fighting in Galkayo so it is very dangerous at the moment, they are exchanging artillery tonight. We will go in early tomorrow morning if the fighting stops and bring them back to Nairobi for medicals and a clean-up, Steed, stated. According to the UN humanitarian agency, the battle in Galkayo has resulted to at least 11 deaths and more than 50,000 displaced this month. As soon as the crews were pulled out, they will be returned to their families in their respective countries, which are Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam. They have spent over four and a half years in deplorable conditions away from their families, said Steed. As for their health condition, the crew was malnourished and one of the captives had a bullet wound in his foot, another had had a stroke and another was suffering from diabetes. According to a statement from Oceans Beyond Piracy (OBP), the pirates actually took 29 crew hostages, however three of the hostages died, one during the hijacking and the other two succumbed to illness during their captivity. Naham 3 was originally tied to MV Albedo, another hijacked vessel which was apprehended in November 2010 and was released by the HSP in Steed mentioned that when MV Albedo started to sink, the pirates jumped into the waters and rescued the drowning crew and a year after its capture, Naham 3 as well sank and that s when the hostages were taken ashore along with the pirates who kept on creating unreasonable demands. The release of the Naham 3 crew represents the end of captivity for the last remaining seafarers taken hostage during the height of Somali piracy, he said. Naham 3 crews were the second longest held hostage by the Somali pirates, next to the crew of Thai fishermen, who were released in February last year. Most of the hostages left suffering in the hands of pirates are impoverished fishermen. If you don t have insurance or you are a poor little ship no one is going to help to get you out, said Steed. In 2005, the initial major commercial vessel was seized by Somali pirates and the action grew in a country with limited jobs and no central government. Commercial ships then engaged private armed guards aboard their vessels as piracy turned out to be a major threat to international shipping and stimulated involvements by the UN, EU and Nato. At the height of the piracy in January 2011, Somali pirates have detained 736 hostages as well as 32 boats and by 2012 it had cost the global economy from $5.7billion to $6.1billion ( 5.6billion). According to the OBP, in 2015, pirates have attacked a minimum of 306 seafarers in the western Indian Ocean despite the fact that total figures are low in that area. But as to what a concerned netizen, like Rancho Villavicencio, pointed out, crisis does not end after the release. After a few weeks of physical freedom from captivity, ensuring Recovery and Rehabilitation of the survivors and their families is the next most challenging duty and responsibility of those who really care. Open ears, sincere hearts and extended hands aside from financial and other practical support are very crucial for them to becoming positive and productive once again. South Korea's Promising Investment in Port Expansions BY KIMBERLY CHAVEZ FRIVALDO South Korea will invest KRW 14.7 trillion (USD 13.3 billion) for the expansion of the country's port over the next four years scheduled to be undertaken in the period from , according to the South Korea's Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF). Announcing revisions to the "Port Fundamentals Plan" it was understood that it will cover the expansion of 140 cargo berths, as well as 30 international trade ports and 29 coastal ports to cater an increasing sizes of container ships and growing arrival of cruise ships. The plan aims to make Busan the world's second-largest transhipment hub after Singapore, develop Gwangyang into South Korea's biggest industrial port, transform Incheon into an integrated logistic gateway to the metropolitan area and to enable the goverment's goal of making Ulsan the oil hub of North East Asia. Phase 2 of the Development of Busan New Port is expected to be fully completed by 2020, while Phase 3 of the expansion would increase the number of berths from To ensure the safety of entry and departure of ships, an uninhabited island, Tohdo, will be demolished. The Government's Scheme would also involve making South Korea's ports more environment-friendly. In line with the campaign to create green ports, thus are plans to replace old lightings with LED ligths and introduce LNG Bunkering to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases. Park Seung-Gi, the MOF director of ports said, "The modification to the plan are based on cargo volumes and trends in shipping. We plan to continue to respond flexibly to reflect changing circumstances in a timely manner".

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47 NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2016 TINIG NG MARINO 47 Cosco Group, China Shipping merged to create China s third biggest shipbuilding group BY: RAFFY AYENG China s two biggest stateowned shipping companies are set to merge 11 shipbuilding yards into a single entity in one of the industry s biggest consolidation moves, as ship orders hit record lows. According to some reports, if this push through, the merger of the shipyards of China Ocean Shipping (Group) Co., or Cosco Group, and China Shipping Group Co. is expected to be announced by early next year. The two companies had already merged their fleets and port operations in 2015 to generate China Cosco Holdings, the world s fourth biggest container operator in terms of capacity. Cosco owns six yards and China Shipping Group owns five, and Cosco also operates two joint-venture yards with Japan s Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd. vv In the first half of this year, China Cosco Holdings lost $1.1 billion. The outlook for global ship orders for the next six months to a year remains grim. It will be a major challenge to turn a profit from shipbuilding, said an executive at one of the companies. If the merger proceeds and works out, synergies will cut down costs substantially but the operating environment is highly challenging especially if you don t want jobs to be lost. It is also known that the down payments for new vessels used to be 30%, according to the said official, but in the past 18 months, the share withered to 10%, due to the challenges that shipbuilders face. Moreover, Chinese shipbuilding industry officials said the two companies have a combined workforce of more than 25,000. People involved in the process said the shipbuilding merger would be used as a model for a wider plan to merge the country s two biggest shipbuilders China Shipbuilding Corp. and China Shipbuilding Industry Co., which own dozens of yards along China s Pacific coastline. China builds roughly half of the world s new ships. But the once-thriving industry has been shrinking steadily for the past four years on tumbling orders and Beijing s evolving strategy to stop subsidizing unprofitable enterprises. About three-quarters of the 1,800 shipyards China had in 2009 have closed as Beijing stopped subsidizing the sector, said George Xiradakis, chief executive of Athens-based XRTC maritime consultancy and an adviser to China Development Bank, one of China s biggest shipping financiers. The word from Beijing is that it will continue to finance with strict performance criteria a handful of state shipbuilding conglomerates which are pushed to consolidate, he said, but the rest are left on their own. The shipbuilding consolidation is part of China s strategy to get more of its growth from services and consumption than heavy industry and construction.

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51 NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2016 TINIG NG MARINO 51 Japan Mariners Management Association, PH ties up to strengthen maritime education BY RAFFY AYENG TO further improve the maritime education in the Philippines, its sole government-operated maritime training and research institution the National Maritime Polytechnic and the International Mariners Management Association of Japan Philippine-Japan Manning Consultative Council (Immaj-PJMCC) has recently inked a partnership to spearhead a nationwide study to identify the training-development needs of faculty in the maritime educational institutions. In a statement, Capt. Emmanuel Jesus Laguitan, NMP Maritime Training and Assessment Division head, said that study is beneficial to meet the needs of instructors for them to be effective trainers and the knowledge acquired by the graduates should be useful once they board the ships. The joint undertaking is important with the implementation of the new BS Marine Transportation and BS Marine Engineering curricula to conform to the Manila 2010 Amendments to the Standards for Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) 1978 Convention and Code. The 2010 Amendments requires upgrading and teaching competencies of maritime faculty, especially in the use of modern technology and Web-based learning, among others. The research methodology will employ the conduct of the forum that will be held in three different venues in Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao, with resource persons and participants from the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Maritime Industry Authority (Marina), Japanese maritime education representatives and CHED-accredited maritime higher-education institutions, consisting of heads of colleges or departments and senior faculty members. The forum will involve presentations, workshops and discussions on the initiatives related to maritime faculty development and faculty-related issues and concerns, and the formulation of an action plan for a national maritime program for faculty development. Meanwhile, the NMP will also intensify its training efforts by opening special batches of the IMO Model Course 6.10 to accommodate scholars coming from the association. The tie-up between NMP and Immaj-PJMCC is not new. In 2012 NMP conducted a study on Filipino seafarers experiences in maritime piracy in coordination with PJMCC and the Japanese government. As the only government maritime training and research institute attached to the Department of Labor and Employment, NMP is committed to contribute to the employment acceptability of Filipino seafarers, said lawyer Ruben Maceda, NMP chief administrative officer. NMP is the only government-owned maritime training and research center in the country. We are committed to ensure the employability of Filipino seafarers onboard ships plying domestic and international routes, Maceda said. We continuously upgrade our facilities to provide maritime trainings required pursuant to STCW. He said NMP continues to offer other professional development courses, such as Training Course for Instructors (IMO Model Course 6.09) and Training Course on the Assessment, Examination and Certification of Seafarers (IMO Model Course 3.12). It also offers Deck Courses, Engine Courses, Specialized Courses and Safety Courses. There are 1.4 million Filipino seafarers, the second biggest supplier of manpower to maritime industry worldwide next to China. He said Japan needs 35,000 seafarers, and there is a strong preference for Filipinos, not only because of their ability to speak English, but also for their dedication to their work and adaptability to different foreign cultures. Meanwhile, the United Filipino Seafarers Inc. president, Engr. Nelson Ramirez, on his part reiterated that the said undertaking must highlight that the OLC and the MLC is the IMO Model Course itself. According to Ramirez, the National Maritime Polytechnic Campus in Tacloban city OLC is the IMO Model Course 7.04 for deck, and the IMO Model Course 7.03 is meant for engine OIC Level Officers. Furthermore, he pointed out that the MLC is the IMO Model Course for Management Level Officers. While 7.01 is for deck officers and the 7.02 is for the engine. Ramirez explained. The IMO Model Course is the maritime educational system used in Europe and other countries. It is the very reason why they are not adapting or using it as training because it is what they are taking up in their respective maritime schools, Ramirez further stressed.

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53 NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2016 TINIG NG MARINO 53 UFS President Engr. Nelson Ramirez, together with the Maritime Week's special guest speakers From left to right: Ms. Gilda Estrella-LUSWELF Representative, Philippine Ports Authority General Manager, Atty. Jay Daniel Santiago; DIWA Partylist Representative, Cong. Emmeline Aglipay-Villar; UFS President Engr. Nelson Ramirez, MARINA Administrator C/E Al Amaro and NLRC Commissioner Atty. Leonard Vinz Ignacio. Fighting for the same advocacy of NO REPETITIVE TRAINING FOR SEAFARERS, Engr. Nelson Ramirez together with Greco Belgica striked a popular fist pose before the camera. Meeting with the Greek shipowners representatives Engr. Ramirez, representing the UFS, sharing his thoughts during the launching of NAGKAKAISANG PILIPINO PARA SA PAGBABAGO, joined by the original supporters of Pres. Rodrigo Duterte at the Philippine Columbian Association. The former commandants of the Philippine Coast Guard with Engr. Nelson Ramirez at the 115th Philippine Coast Guard Anniversary. From Left: NPR, Adm. Arthur Gosingan, Adm. Eduardo R. Santos ( PN) Adm. Reuben Lista, Adm. Damian Carlos and Adm. Edmund Tan UFS President, Engr. Nelson Ramirez, speaking before the pillars of maritime industry during the PAMTCI's 5th General Membership Meeting MARINA Executives meeting with the United Filipino Seafarers Board of Directors: MARINA Administrator C/Engr. Al Amaro, UFS President Engr. Nelson Ramirez, Capt. Wally Rivas,Capt. Eliezar Ramirez, Capt. Danny Tampus, C/Engr. Gascon, C/.Engr. Virtudazo and Arianne Ramirez and also with top officials of MARINA and some members of the MARINA Advisory Council, C/Engr. Mike Marasigan, Capt. Jaime Aquino and Capt. Rene Maglasang for the BMIP EAGA Concerns.

54 54 TINIG NG MARINO NOVEMBER - DECEMBER Non-accredited Maritime Schools in the Philippines The existence of these non-accredited maritime schools is definitely no secret. Even the IMO and EMSA have been aware for quite some time that these schools churn out thousands of graduates each year. Why, then, does CHED seem to have an enormous blind spot where these money-grubbing institutions are concerned? Our guess is that CHED and these non-accredited maritime schools belong to parallel universities that complement each other, but don t intersect on a physical plane. That s the only logical explanation. ICS conference tackles Seafarers Retention BY JUDY DOMINGO In the International Chamber of Shipping s annual forum, a toplevel industry session held in London, it has been heard that one of the most effective way for the owners to safeguard the recruitment and retention of seafarers is providing good quality onboard communications to crew members. In his talk during the conference, Angelo Eastern (UK) managing director Douglas Land mentioned that throughout the research for the new ICS/BIMCO Manpower Report, a collection of vital response on the aspects which seafarers rate as significant to their employment was made. The said research is the latest in a sequence which started in 1990 with the endeavor of enumerating global supply and demand for officers and ratings. According to Mr. Land, the new report is the most in-depth ever undertaken and is much more precise than previous versions. As the report encompasses the investigation on the causes why seafarers go to sea and leave the sea, one of the biggest challenges for it was getting information from the big seafarer supply countries. We say that seafarers are our greatest asset, but we should know how many we have, where they are and what we are doing with them, he stressed. This year s report estimates the global supply of seafarers as 774,000 officers and 873,500 ratings, he further noted. Mr. Land believes that the supply of officers being overtaken by the demand with about 16,500 is a controllable shortage. But, the managing director pointed out that the key role of the research has something to do with future projections, and in case that these are accurate the industry will face a serious shortage of officers in ten years time. On current tendencies, the gap between supply and demand will rise to 92,000 by 2020 and as much as 147,500 by On the basis that it takes 10 years to get a senior management level officer, now is the time to start acting. We have the time to take action, Mr. Land advised. According to him, increasing regulatory requirements mean that the number of officers needed by the industry is growing. Seafarers are chasing promotion much earlier than they used to, and the way in which they are trained needs to be reconsidered in the light of technological developments. Training has never been more important. The equipment on ships is more complex than ever before and multi-skilling is as never before. What we are asking if the seafarer has never been greater than it is at present. He said that retention is vital and the amount of money that goes into seafarers today is enormous, but frequently ship owners waste that investment by not doing enough to keep their crews. Mr. Land stated that response from seafarers surveyed as part of the inquiry into wastage and retention reveals the need to develop onboard connectivity and close the gap between sea and shore. The new generation of seafarers are very tech-savvy and the industry has yet to catch up with their expectations, he stated. Source: The Telegraph

55 NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2016 TINIG NG MARINO 55 NOTICE OF REWARD A reward of SEVENTY FIVE THOUSAND PESOS (P75,000.00) will be given to anyone whose information will lead to the apprehension of any person who sells or distributes pirated Deckmaster Marine programs. A reward of FIFTY THOUSAND PESOS (P50,000.00) will be given to anyone whose information will lead to the apprehension of any person who uses pirated Deckmaster Marine programs. The information received shall be treated with utmost confidentiality. Please Contact: Deckmaster Marine Mobile: Landline: enelcarter@gmail.com

56 56 TINIG NG MARINO NOVEMBER - DECEMBER Dare the difference! What is the big difference between Tinig ng Marino and other maritime newspapers? It s helluva lot of a difference. In terms of volume and readership reach, Tinig ng Marino can stand and challenge all other maritime papers including the glossy ones as to which is widely circulated or attained an optimum pass-on readership. As the biggest and the widest in circulation, it can take any challenge by counting the number of copies that Tinig has printed for each issue. It also reaches the various corners of the world where Filipino seafarers set sail and confront the high seas. Over the years, Tinig has been consistent on the issues it has fought for, particularly on its advocacy to inform the public about the real things that is happening in the industry. It has fearlessly published what other maritime papers have failed to do. As it exposes anomalies, it also publishes the good things about this dynamic sector. Most of Tinig articles are even exclusive because we are there where the action is -- as one of the players in the industry. Being the official publication of the United Filipino Seafarers, Tinig ng Marino has been influential in the the many changes occurring in the country s maritime industry. The evidence can be easily verified by browsing the UFS website. It need not engage in cutthroat competition by bringing advertisement rate down and employing sexy marketing managers. Tinig clients knew they get their money s worth. It would be unfair to compare Tinig ng Marino to other maritime newspapers just as if one were comparing a choice between Rolls Royce and a Kia Pride.

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58 58 TINIG NG MARINO NOVEMBER - DECEMBER Soft Broom-making Business Plan Bags P500k Grand Prize in 2016 NRCO-ISP Business Plan Competition BY JUDY DOMINGO Who would ve thought that as humble as the idea of broom making for business would bagged the grand prize of the biggest business plan competition for seafarers? In the final round and awarding ceremony of the 2016 NRCO-ISP Business Plan Competition, held at Century Park Hotel last Nov. 11, 2016, Mr. Freddie & Ms. Elsa Antiquera successfully outshined their co-participants with their sincere business plan of Soft Broom Making. The judges and spectators were delighted with the business plan presentation of Mr. & Ms. Antiquera who also showed a sample product that are a regular sized broom and a spoon-sized one which can be used for gadget cleanings. The judges were then convinced with the sincerity of the plan and its feasibility, making it the grand winner. On the second place, Ms. Jackie Lou Abejaron took the spot with her Hermosa Weaving business plan. Her idea is to produce scented mats along with giving more jobs to Badjaos who will be the workers. She received P100, 000 cash prize. A total of ten finalists made it to the final round of the competition. Three of them takes home P50, 000 for being the Industry Choice Award, those were Mr. Juncel Rosal for Hog Integrated Business, Mr. Michaello Legaspi for Crickets as alternative to meat and Ms. Ma. Socorro Nonato for Organic Farming business plan. On the other hand, the remaining five finalists received P20, 000 pesos each for consolation prize. The NRCO-ISP Business Plan Competition is a project of Integrated Seafarers of the Philippines, in cooperation with the National Reintegration Center for OFWs and Department of Labor and Employment. It was first launched in 2015, with an aim of helping and encouraging the seafarers and their families to venture into business and invest their savings wisely, because as what the ISP Founder Capt. Gaudencio Morales always say, Walang forever sa Pagbabarko.

59 NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2016 TINIG NG MARINO 59 nited ilipino eafarers National Seafarer s Day A priest, a nun, and a union leader conceptualized the idea of celebrating the National Seafarers Day, 15 years before the International Maritime Organization (IMO) declared June 25th as the International Day of the Seafarer. Sometime in February 1996, on their way back to Manila after giving Pre-Employment Orientation Seminar to maritime graduates of Pangasinan Merchant Marine Academy, Father Carlos Oda, Sister Maruja Padre de Juan of the Apostleship of the Sea (AOS), and Engr. Nelson P. Ramirez of the United Filipino Seafarers discussed the possibility of celebrating the National Seafarers Day as a way of paying tribute to the priceless contributions of the proud but often forgotten man of the seas. Upon arrival in Manila, they immediately sought the assistance of then Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) Administrator Atty. Wilhelm Soriano to present their proposal to then Executive Secretary Ruben Torres for the approval of then President Fidel Ramos. Soon after, President Ramos signed an executive order declaring August 18th as the National Seafarers Day. The very first National Seafarers Day Celebration was held at Pier 4 of the Manila North Harbor. Over the years, the celebration of the National Seafarers Day was moved to the last day of September to coincide with the celebration of the National Maritime Week. Celebrating Christmas Parties for Seafarers Abroad UFS knows that is a very lonely experience for seafarers to spend Christmas at sea or in foreign ports. For this reason, the UFS organized several Christmas parties for seafarers whose vessels were docked in Rotterdam and nearby ports. Hundreds of seafarers of different nationalities enjoyed Christmas while their ships were in Rotterdam as arranged and orchestrated by UFS volunteer staff. In the Philippines, the UFS and the Apostleship of the Sea Manila (AOS-Manila) also organized the Paskong Piging Ikaw, Ako at ang Marino and invited Filipino seafarers who were staying in their Manila boarding houses to savor and enjoy the Christmas spirit with the two organizations, their members and partners. UFS Summit, Exhibit, Trade Fair and Congress Other than championing the rights and cause of Filipino seafarers, the UFS also occasionally provides opportunities for the men of the seas and their families to have worthwhile enjoyment and recreational activities. The union held its first ever UFS Summit in September 2004 at the Harrison Plaza in Pasay City that drew throngs of Filipino seafarers and their families to the venue, resulting to the big success of the event. Aside from giving the Filipino seafarers the needed frolicking and fun while their off-duty from their shipboard work, the UFS integrated a job fair, a livelihood program for seafarers and seafarer families, as well as various brain-busting and skills-demonstration contests for Filipino seafarers to spice up the event. In addition, the UFS also held a singing competition during the summit where a number of Filipino seafarers showcased their singing prowess, that wowed the crowd to no end. Tinig ng Marino Awards Although UFS is considered as a dragon slayer among illegal recruiters, abusive manning agencies and shipowners, owners of sub-standards schools, and other groups and individuals involved in anomalous activities in the industry, the UFS also honors and gives tribute to the organizations and individuals who has rendered valuable contributions to the sector. It has institutionalized the Tinig ng Marino Awards, which is now widely-recognized as one of the more prestigious honor-giving bodies in the local maritime industry. Promote and Sponsored Sport Activities in the Maritime Sector Always keeping a healthy mind and body is one of the objectives of the UFS for Filipino seafarers and also for other stakeholders of the maritime industry. After all, one can only be productive and make sound decisions if he possesses good health and excellent wellness. UFS has sponsored golf tournaments together with the Maritime Golf Association of the Philippines and also a shooting competition among Filipino seafarers. For so many years UFS- Netherlands has been active in inviting all seafarers and even fetch them from their ships to play basketball whenever their vessels are in Rotterdam or in nearby ports. UFS- Greece has likewise sponsored basketball tournaments among Filipino seafarers whose vessels home ports are in Greece. Since the activity was institutionalized not too long ago, the UFS has been joining the annual Fun Run organized by the Filipino Association for Mariners Employment (FAME).

60 60 TINIG NG MARINO NOVEMBER - DECEMBER Online Ang nag-iisang dyaryo ng mga marinong Pilipino - Tinig ng Marino. Mula sa mga crew ng MV Amstelborg at Wagenborg Manila Salamat Sir Nelson Ramirez sa malaking concern sa ating mga marino. Nawa'y pagpalain kayo at gabayan ng diyos sa mga ginagawa nyo para sa ating mga marino. Godbless always sir. We are proud of you. - Jonathan Lanto JB Sana malagay sa Tinig ng Marino Magazine. God bless sa lahat ng Marino. Crew of M/V Rainbow Fairy with Capt. Renato M. Villaruel from page 16 VAST HORIZON The Grace of Humility friendly bearing is a caring person. How could I refuse such fatherly gesture? So I relished on the delicious seafood which I tried to avoid before. My worst fear happened. I felt my elbow aching. Oh no, I panicked, thinking of those days years ago when just a passing wisp of air on the affected joint would leave me in excruciating pain. When Mr. Li learned about it, he did not allow me to carry out my inspection that day. He immediately ordered medicines for gout from the ship chandler. Gladly, the pain was gone the following day. I also tried to avoid the shrimps, but as always, the paternal concern in him that I enjoy my meal gave way to my diet plan. I just saw to it that I prayed first to ask God to bless the food and melt the uric acid if there were any. Miraculously, the pain was gone until I came back to Manila. It was a humbling experience. Here I am, very much younger than Mr. Li, but is very conscious of what I eat, especially those very rich in calories and cholesterol. In our three weeks of working together, we had good rapport. I gave him due respect in decision-making. I was able to make him laugh. Before long, we were sharing ideas about our job and the plans of the Company. He confided that his blood pressure and complete blood chemistry are all normal. I also learned that he jogs for one hour in the morning and swims for another hour in the evening. No wonder. He rather work than talk. His vast knowledge and experiences show in his technical expertise and his way of dealing with people in the shipyard and on board. When I was much younger, I was a proud person. I bragged about my potentials and achievements. I did not allow anybody to upstage me in terms of discussion on any topic under the sun. I would not allow anybody to curtail my pride. But as the years went by, I am glad that I have learned my lessons well, especially on the grace of humility. I think the formation seminars that I have attended in our parish helped a lot, too. Like, in one of St. Peter s epistles to the Christian communities in Asia Minor, he wrote, Clothe yourselves with humility in your dealings with one another, for God opposes the proud but bestows favor on the humble. So now, I rather concentrate developing my craft than basking in the limelight of vainglory. I m now sharing this experience to our millions of Tinig Ng Marino readers, not to extol self-glorification but rather to impart some values in life which I ve gained as I walk down the road of change. Anyway, back to Mr. Li. When it was parting time, I don t know but I felt a tinge of sadness. He was flying back to Hong Kong and me to the land of more than the usual.

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