TACLOBAN CITY, Jan. 30 (PIA) The National Maritime Polytechnic (NMP) in Tacloban City has continued serving seafarers and marine officers with their training and research needs despite the on-going health crisis.
During the latest Suruswerte ha PIA” radio/TV program hosted by Regional Director Olive Tiu of the Philippine Information Agency 8, it was learned from the NMP Executive Director Joel Maglungsod together with the agency’s Head of the Training and Assessment Division, Engr. Potenciano Trinidad, that staring July of 2020, NMP has resumed its training operations after declaring its suspension on March due to the pandemic scare.
According to Director Maglungsod, during the temporary suspension of services, the management has utilized the time for the agency’s development plans and possible operation strategies.
NMP Director Joel Maglungsod during NMPs Year-End Conference. PHOTO COURTESY OF NMP
NMP is the sole government maritime training and research center in the country.
Its 2020 Year-End Performance Assessment revealed that NMP trained a total of 5,405 maritime professionals composed of aspiring and active seafarers, maritime educators, assessors, supervisors, and other allied personnel in the maritime industry.
The said number represents a 13.55 percent increase from its reformulated annual target of 4,500 trainees, a notable rise even as it temporarily stopped operations for three months due to the Covid-19 induced lockdowns and public safety measures.
According to NMP Executive Director Joel Maglungsod, the training that was mostly taken by maritime professionals include Professional Development Courses, Ratings Forming Part of a Navigational Watch (RFPNW), Medical First Aid (MEFA), Survival Craft and Rescue Boats other than Fast Rescue Boats (SCRB), Refresher Course on Survival C