A YOUNG chief engineer and a maritime advocate were recently recognized by the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) as some of the country’s best maritime leaders during its 2026 SeafarHer Awards.
Chief Engineer Elizsa Chomi received the 2026 SeafarHER Award for Leadership in Seafaring, while Maria Katherine Pauline Avelino was named the 2026 SeafarHER Awardee for Advocacy for Women in Maritime during Marina’s Awards and Appreciation Night in Manila.
Chomi was cited for her leadership, professional excellence and contribution to the advancement of seafaring.
She was a graduate of the prestigious Maritime Academy of Asia and the Pacific (MAAP) in Mariveles, Bataan in 2011. In 2024, after relentlessly pursuing the path of becoming a ship officer, Chomi found herself as a young woman leading a group of men aboard a 4,000 gross tone vessel in Europe.
Avelino, meanwhile, was recognized for her work in advancing opportunities, equality and inclusion for women in the maritime industry.
She is the executive director for business development of the Philippine Transmarine Carriers (PTC), and the executive committee member of InterManager. On April 2024, she ran the London Marathon to raise funds for The Seafarers’ Charity to support maritime professionals and crew members worldwide.
The two awardees reflect different ways women are helping shape the maritime sector — from leadership on board ships to advocacy that creates greater opportunities for women on shore.
Through the SeafarHER Awards, Marina recognizes women whose leadership, work and advocacy contribute to the advancement of the Philippine maritime industry.
