TACLOBAN CITY (PIA) — The National Maritime Polytechnic (NMP) located in Eastern Visayas has installed additional equipment and facilities to enhance training services for seafarer trainees per modern standards.
The initiative is designed to enhance swimming techniques, establish a secure evacuation method during emergencies, and ensure safety from hazardous sea conditions.
During the turn-over ceremony on December 10, Victor A. Del Rosario, NMP executive director, emphasized the importance of integrating knowledge to align with international standards, particularly in response to the evolving demands on sustainability and technological advancements.
These will serve as crucial resources in enabling our trainees to gain essential skills that simulate real-world maritime conditions, to be better equipped to face the challenges of the seas where the stakes are often life and death,” Del Rosario said.
The equipment includes a fully enclosed free-fall lifeboat that can accommodate 20 people and has a lifting sling for retrieving a crew of three.
Unlike traditional open lifeboats, it has a rigid, closed top cover. It has anatomically shaped, rear-facing seats on each side of a central aisle, equipped with a 4-point harness for optimal safety and comfort.
The lifeboat, valued at P8.4 million, was funded by the Associated Marine Officers’ and Seamen’s Union of the Philippines (AMOSUP).
In addition, the facility features a training pool designed for water survival and safety skills development, specifically for using life jackets and inflatable life rafts.
The pool measures approximately 10 meters by 20 meters, with a maximum depth of 3.4 meters and a minimum depth of 1.2 meters.
Tingog Party List funded the facility, which was implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
Del Rosario acknowledged the contributions of various partner agencies, each with specific goals to improve maritime services.
He also announced that an infrastructure fund of P66 million had been approved for the NMP-8 Training Complex.
Filipino seafarers contributed $6 billion in remittances to the Philippine economy. As a result, installing equipment and facilities is part of the NMP’s 4-year modernization plan, which aims to improve infrastructure and advance the Philippine maritime industry. (AAC/JKPA, PIA Leyte)
