NMP Officials and NMPSA Members witnessing local farmers gather the first harvest of the NMP-NMPSA rice plantation
10 March 2021 – A day of immense pride and joy for the National Maritime Polytechnic Services Association (NMPSA), the sole and exclusive negotiating agent of NMP as the fully-grown rice paddy in an approximately six thousand two hundred square meters (6,200 s.q.) is now being hand-harvested after 4-5 months of cultivation.
It can be recalled that NMP and the NMPSA entered into a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) in October 2020 allowing the latter to cultivate, by engaging a local farmer, the former’s idle and unproductive land located at the back of the General Services and Auxiliary Section (GSAS) Building.
This is in consonance with certain provisions of the Collective Negotiation Agreement (CNA) entered into by and between NMP and NMPSA particularly on the “Association’s Entrepreneurial Activities” which allows the NMPSA to engage in entrepreneurial activities within premises of the Agency, at its own expense and responsibility aimed at improving the economic conditions of its members.
In turn, the NMPSA through a Contract of Agreement tapped a local farmer to cultivate and plant rice on the subject land based on a 75/25 sharing of net harvest in favor of the farmer.
“This is just one of the many more fruitful collaborations of NMP and NMPSA. More is yet to come with the end in view of enhancing employees’ productivity, efficiency and work satisfaction, and to increase employees’ morale”, said NMP Executive Director Joel B. Maglunsod.
In response, NMPSA President, Ms. Maria Chona B. Rama conveyed her appreciation to the management.
“The NMPSA is grateful for the constant support of the management in its cause of fostering and improving the welfare and well-being of all NMP employees through partnership in various activities”, she commented.
It is noteworthy that NMP and the NMPSA signed a 3-year CNA on 11 November 2019, paving way for a progressive and harmonious relationship, aimed at attaining maximum efficiency in providing services to the public through conduct of quality trainings and relevant researches.
Moreover, the CNA also provides for the inclusion of NMPSA in committees and bodies mandated by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and Civil Service Commission (CSC) and the joint institution of cost-cutting measures to generate savings without prejudice to the efficient delivery of services to the Agency’s clients.