Press Release
November 19, 2015

Sen. Marcos Laments Gov't Non-Support
To Maritime Schools And Seafarers

Senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" R. Marcos Jr. expressed dismay over the government's non-support to maritime schools and the Filipino seafarers.

Marcos expressed his disappointment in a speech he delivered on Wednesday at the Maritime Academy of Asia and the Pacific (MAAP) in Mariveles, Bataan, even as he lauded the faculty and staff of the academy for its effort to provide the best maritime education to its students.

"It was very disappointing to know, to listen to the fact that there seems to be a lacking of recognition by the government in the important part that you all play, not just for our economy, but for our country and our presence abroad," he said.

Marcos noticed that the maritime training industry in the country has no sufficient training ships needed to better equip the Filipino seafarers while they are still in schools.

"We do not have enough training ships. We need to adopt a policy that is more supportive of all your efforts," Marcos said.

He also considered the Filipino seafarers as "ambassadors" for they represent the Philippines in other countries.

"You represent the Philippines when you are on boarding ships. I do not speak of ambassadors in terms of diplomacy. But again, to introduce what Filipinos are like, to introduce what Filipinos are capable of, and to teach our friends from different countries that the Filipino is hard working, the Filipino is well trained, the Filipino understands the systems, the Filipino will become an important part of any crew that they join," he said.

Marcos also congratulated the MAAP, headed by its President Vice Admiral Eduardo Santos (Ret.) for ensuring that its graduates and students are well-trained through its equipment like the simulation facilities.

"It is very important that the training that we provide brings us up to the standard that is expected now. It is expected already of Filipino seamen," he said.

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