Marcos to PMMA grads: ‘Face the future with confidence’

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Tuesday called on the 2024 graduates of the Philippine Merchant Marine Academy (PMMA) to face the future with “fortitude and confidence.”

In his message delivered by Presidential Assistance for Maritime Concerns Secretary Andres Centino in San Narciso, Zambales, Marcos said the PMMA has prepared the “MANDAGAYAN” Class of 2024 for their future.

“To our graduates, the journey you will be taking from now on will reflect the very nature of the waters you will soon navigate. The sea is a mirror of life itself. It is boundless and unpredictable, at times serene and at times turbulent,” he said.

“Face the future with fortitude and confidence, knowing you are well-equipped to navigate the seas of opportunity and challenge. May you always carry the banner of our country and the PMMA with your heads held high, knowing that you are the embodiment of our nation’s maritime spirit and the vanguard of its future,” Marcos added.

The President encouraged the graduates to continue to excel as leaders, to remain humble, act honorably, and display feats of courage.

The graduates will join more than 400,000 Filipino seafarers in the global maritime industry.

Marcos also mentioned the PMMA has just signed two memoranda of agreement with industry partners: Carnival Cruise Line and Crossworld Marine Services, Inc., which sealed the relationship between the PMMA and these two maritime companies in creating greater opportunities for the cadets.

He added that through these partnerships, PMMA is also celebrating the groundbreaking ceremony of two state-of-the-art training facilities.

“These facilities shall be equipped with specialized laboratories for technical training. And these centers shall serve as beacons of excellence, reflecting our commitment to providing top-level education and training for our future seafarers,” he said.

Marcos reiterated that the administration will continue to improve the country’s maritime education sector “to make it more responsive to the evolving needs of our nation and the global maritime industry.”

“With all the initiatives the government is pursuing in the maritime sector, I am certain that we will be ushering in a new breed of Filipino sailors who will change our maritime landscape and even the rest of the world for the better,” he said.

The President also highlighted Executive Order No. 55, which provides for the adoption of the Ten-Year Maritime Industry Development Plan 2028 that aims to upskill and reskill the maritime workforce, improve their employability, and ensure their continuous growth and development in an ever-evolving sector, among others.

“To our beloved cadets and midshipmen, may your voyages be safe and your purpose crystal clear as the blue waters out there. Humayo kayo bilang mga Magigiting na Mandaragat Tagapagpanatili ng Kapayapaan at Kaunlaran ng Bansang Laya!” he added.

(Go forth as Brave Seafarers who Preserve Peace and Prosperity of a Free Nation!)—RF, GMA Integrated News