Three (3) employees from the Maritime Research and Development Division (MRDD) of the National Maritime Polytechnic (NMP) attended in the three-day Scope and Resource Planning Workshop conducted by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) on 21-23 May 2018 at the Novotel Manila Araneta Center, General Aguinaldo Avenue, Cubao, Quezon City.

NMP employees who attended, as required by DICT were: (1) Ms. Grace Marie T. Ayaso, Head of the MRDD; (2) Ms. Ma. Jasmin J. Andrade, Head of the Planning Section (PS); and (3) Mr. Andrew D. Soledad, Head of the Information and Marketing Section (IMS).

The objective of the activity was to assist agencies in preparing their sectoral map.  It also aimed to discuss and evaluate stakeholder needs, conditions and options; decide on balanced, agreed-on enterprise objectives; and set the direction for the sector enterprise.

The three-day session included discussions on identifying choke points of each agency, interoperability among common systems of each agency, recognizing the open data information and services or systems and/or transactions being done between the government, its clients and the private sector and submission of The Open Group Architecture Framework (TOGAF) output.

NMP’s output highlighted its intention of venturing to distance learning and e-learning on some identified courses next year.  NMP asked the DICT if it can avail of its “Gabay-Aral online system”, a platform suitable for e-learning which the latter responded in affirmative provided that an honorarium will be given to the technical experts who assist the NMP.

Meanwhile, NMP continues to upgrade its facilities and provide maritime training required pursuant to the Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) Convention as amended in 2010 including value-adding courses towards improving the qualifications of Filipino seafarers for their employment acceptability and enhanced competitiveness.

Those interested to take NMP training programs may visit the NMP website  (www.nm.gov.ph) and its Facebook page (www.facebook.com/nmptrainingcenter) where all related information on NMP training are available.