NMP officials receiving flu and pneumonia vaccines
TACLOBAN CITY – Recognizing the importance of providing healthy and safe work environment and in order to mitigate the impacts of COVID 19, the National Maritime Polytechnic (NMP) through its Gender and Development (GAD) Committee, provided vaccination to all its personnel including Job Order Workers (JOWs), guest lecturers, janitorial, and security personnel on 18 September 2020 at Room 109, NMP Training Building, Cabalawan, Tacloban City.
The activity was undertaken pursuant to the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) memorandum Circular No. 2020-03 (Adjustment and/or Implementation of the FY 2020 GAD Plan and Budget in view of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Situation), Presidential Proclamation No. 922 (Declaring a State of Public Health Emergency Throughout the Philippines), and Presidential Proclamation No. 929 (Declaring a State of Calamity Throughout the Philippines Due to Corona Virus Disease 2019), enjoining all government agencies to mobilize the necessary resources to undertake critical, urgent and appropriate disaster response aid and measures in timely manner to curtail and eliminate the threat of COVID-19.
“This is one of the activities under our GAD programs aimed to provide added protection and resistance to all NMP employees and other personnel performing tasks for the Agency against complications from COVID-19. And we are thankful that we were able to avail of these vaccines from the Department of Health (DOH) – Eastern Visayas”, NMP Executive Director Joel B. Maglunsod disclosed.
A total of one hundred forty-four (144) NMP Tacloban personnel availed of the FREE vaccination which was administered by the medical staff from the Tacloban City Health Office.
The identification of the type of vaccine that was provided for each personnel was based on the survey conducted by the NMP GAD Technical Working Group (TWG) and Secretariat and on the advice from the DOH- Eastern Visayas that the pneumonia vaccine will be administered only to persons with ages 40 and above.
Medical staff from Tacloban City Health Office
Moreover, the vaccines for ten (10) NMP Manila Office staff were sent through airline cargo. Administration of the vaccines will be through the assistance of the Employees Compensation Commission (ECC) nurse, on the date and time agreed upon.
Meanwhile, NMP continues to conduct face-to-face trainings with strict implementation of the Maritime Industry Authority’s (MARINA) approved Post-Enhanced Community Quarantine Operational Plan and other health and safety protocols as required by the Department of Health (DOH), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), and local government unit (LGU).
Likewise, with the aim of making NMP’s training programs accessible to all Filipino seafarers especially in this time of health crisis and in response to the priority policies and programs of the government to facilitate transition to the “new normal”, NMP is offering FREE ONLINE COURSES on STD/HIV/AIDS Prevention in the Maritime Sector (SHAPIMS) and Prevention of Alcohol and Drug Abuse in the Maritime Sector (PADAMS). Those interested to enroll may access this link: https://nmp.gov.ph/online-course-offerings/.
Stakeholders who wish to validate the authenticity of their seafarers-employed with NMP issued certificates may visit www.verify.nmp.gov.ph. Also, those interested in NMP research undertakings may visit the NMP website and access the e-Research Information System Portal which is designed to disseminate NMP completed researches, present the Research Agenda, and engage the industry stakeholders to collaborate in the research activities.
Further, NMP encourages OWWA registered seafarers to avail of the NMP-OWWA (Overseas Workers Welfare Administration) Seafarers’ Upgrading Program (SUP) and Skills for Employment Scholarship Program (SESP) which entitles the beneficiary to receive financial assistance for training costs from the OWWA.