TACLOBAN CITY -- Matsushige Tomoaki, Second Secretary of the Embassy of Japan, received a warm welcome from the National Maritime Polytechnic (NMP) Executive Director Victor A. Del Rosario and other personnel during his visit to the NMPon Nov. 8, 2023.

To have a deeper understanding of NMP, an insightful Agency Brief was presented at the NMP Conference Room, emphasizing the Agency's role and significance in the maritime industry.

NMP and Japan boast a rich history of collaboration dating back to 1984 through a technical cooperation program, which has been instrumental in fortifying NMP's capacity to elevate maritime education and training standards across the country.

Moreover, NMP received a generous US$3 million grant from the JICA's "Programme for Rehabilitation and Recovery from Typhoon Yolanda." This substantial aid facilitated the acquisition, installation, and commissioning of diverse training equipment and simulators.

Notable additions included a tanker-type enclosed lifeboat and davit, a fast rescue boat and davit, a full mission global maritime distress safety system simulator, a full mission engine room simulator, and various cutting-edge safety equipment.

After the briefing, Tomoaki was given a comprehensive tour of the NMP premises to see the facilities and simulators generously donated by the Government of Japan through JICA.

Tomoaki expressed a genuine interest in exploring avenues to facilitate NMP's renewed connection with JICA. This potential collaboration could pave the way for substantial upgrades to NMP's facilities and expansion in Luzon and Mindanao, responding to the growing number of NMP enrollees and the ever-evolving landscape of the maritime industry. (AAC/Dawn Diane Q. Daisog, NMP)