Filipino seafarers venturing into NMP and its state-of-the-art upgrading facilities
The National Maritime Polytechnic (NMP), a premier government-owned maritime training and research institution located at Brgy. Cabalawan, Tacloban City, is off to a good start this year as it surpasses its monthly target number of trainees for the month of January 2019.
As of 18 January 2019, NMP trained a total of four hundred forty-three (443) maritime trainees comprised of aspiring and active seafarers, maritime instructors and assessors and supervisors and other maritime allied personnel.
Out of the total, 329 (74%) took the Basic Courses, 45 (10%) enrolled in Specialized Courses, 38 (9%) availed of Deck Courses, 18 (4%) listed in Faculty Development Courses, and the remaining 13 (3%) came from Engine Courses.
Four hundred two (402) trainees are set to finish their trainings on 31 January 2019.
This is a well-grounded start for the Agency as it endeavors to attain its target of ten thousand (10,000) trainees trained in CY 2019.
In the interim, NMP is addressing the deficiencies noted by the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) in connection with its application for full course accreditation of four (4) courses whose provisional authority will expire on 07 February 2019, namely: Basic Training (BT), Advance Training in Fire Fighting (ATFF), Proficiency in Survival Craft and Rescue Boat (PSCRB), and Medical Emergency First Aid (MEFA).
Likewise, constant follow-up with MARINA is being made relative to NMP’s application for full course accreditation of Ratings Forming Part of Navigational Watch (RFNW) and Ratings Forming Part of Engineering Watch (RFPEW) which were pilot-tested last 15-19 October 2018.
Also, three (3) new courses are targeted to be developed this year, namely: Safe Mooring Practice; Oily Water Separator and Training for Harbor Pilot.
In its effort to contribute in providing employment to Filipino seafarers, NMP continues to upgrade its facilities and provide quality maritime trainings required pursuant to the Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping Convention (STCW) for Seafarers as amended in 2010.
On the pipeline, funded by the NMP insurance proceeds from GSIS (in relation to the damages due to Super Typhoon Yolanda), are the acquisition of Full Mission Engine Room Simulator (FMERS) and the construction of Wharf Extension for the Free-Fall Enclosed Lifeboat with Davit which was donated by the Associated Marine Officers’ and Seamen’s Union of the Philippines (AMOSUP).
Those interested in NMP research undertakings may visit the NMP website (www.nmp.gov.ph) and access the e-Research Information System Portal which is designed for gathering inputs for NMP’s research, dissemination of NMP completed researches and other articles pertaining to maritime research.
For more information about NMP trainings viewers may visit the agency’s facebook page (www.facebook.com/nmptrainingcenter) where all related information on NMP trainings are available.
NMP also encourages seafarers to avail of the NMP-OWWA (Overseas Workers Welfare Administration) Seafarers’ Upgrading Program (SUP) which entitles the beneficiary to receive financial assistance for training costs from the OWWA.