PAMI to hold annual convention and election

THE Philippine Association of Maritime Institutions (PAMI) will hold its 44th Annual Convention 22 February 2019 at the Grand Regal Hotel, Davao City. Taking on the theme “Maritime Education in the 4th Industrial Revolution,” the convention will focus on the impact of technology and digitization in the maritime education sector.

charge of the Maritime Industry Authority and Dr. Ronald Adamat, commissioner in charge of Maritime, Commission on Higher Education, are slated to present the Philippine government’s response to the challenge through the development of e-learning platforms and distance education. Capt. Ronaldo Enrile, vice chairman of the Angkla Party list, shall provide the legislative agenda for maritime education during the convention. From the academe, Dr. Melinda DP Bandalaria, chancellor, University of the Philippines Open University, will speak on the Potential Role of Open Distance e-Learning in maritime education.

The industry perspective on the topic shall be discussed by Capt. Oscar Orbeta, chairman of the Joint Manning Group, who will talk on “Automation: The Digital Maritime industry,” and Capt. Jitesh Jaipuyirar, CEO, Navozyme, on the “Blockchain Platforms in Maritime Sector.”

The election of the 15 member-Board of Trustees of the association shall take place on February 23, 2019 at the same venue during the General Membership meeting. The association has 74 active member institutions as at December 2018.

Engr. Felix Oca, PAMI president, shall lead the Association’s Annual Convention, 2019.

education with the Philippine Merchant Marine Academy (PMMA) in 1970, I never stopped sailing until I’ve sent all my younger siblings to school and replaced our old hut with a better house,” the Bicol native continued.

Unlike the other seamen, however, Jess had a clear vision of how his seafaring career would be — becoming one of the country’s youngest ship captains at the ripe age of 29 and retiring at 40, a goal that he accomplished and intended to share with others.

“I established ISP because I want my fellow seafarers to ‘graduate’ from sailing at an ideal point of their lives, say, 50-55 years old. I would like for them to realize that they could still provide for their respective families even while on shore and enjoy the remaining half of their lives with their loved ones. They can only do this by being fully reintegrated in the society with sustainable businesses,” Capt. Morales said.

The ISP’s main advocacy is to provide seafarers the opportunity to learn either on becoming an entrepreneur or an onshore employee.

“There are seafarers who are displaced when shipping companies are

wait for months to be deployed at sea, while others just have to accept the fact that they are already deemed too old to operate a ship. This is where we come in,” Capt. Morales said.

seminars to the seafarers and their respective wives/families to be able to

there are no shipboard deployments available for them.

“I have observed for several decades now that many seafarers retire with nothing — no savings, no assets, and no investments. They earn a lot in a few