THE National Maritime Polytechnic (NMP) has concluded the nationwide series of public consultations on its proposed reconstitution as an attached agency of the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW).
The Manila-leg consultation last June 24 was the last in the series that began in Tacloban, Davao, and Cavite.
It gathered national government agencies, local government units, maritime education and training institutions, ship operators and shipowners’ associations, and members of the seafaring community to validate and provide recommendations on the proposed institutional reform.
In his message, Executive Director Victor Del Rosario said that the proposed reconstitution seeks to further strengthen NMP so that it can more effectively and efficiently fulfill its mandate and better respond to the evolving needs of Filipino seafarers and the maritime industry.
“As the government continues to pursue organizational reforms through the Optimization Act, this proposed reconstitution provides a practical and responsive mechanism to ensure that NMP remains agile, future-ready, and capable of delivering its mandate, most especially as it advances its modernization and expansion initiatives,” Del Rosario said.
He likewise expressed gratitude to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for his steadfast support for the continued development of the Philippine maritime industry, and to DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac for his unwavering commitment to advancing the welfare, safety, and protection of our overseas Filipino workers, including the seafarers.
The consultation served as a platform to validate the proposed measure and gather inputs from stakeholders on how NMP can further improve its programs, operations, and services in response to the evolving demands of the global maritime industry and the changing needs of Filipino seafarers.
Established through Presidential Decree 1369 in 1978, NMP was created as the country’s premier maritime training and research institution mandated to upgrade the competencies and qualifications of Filipino seafarers in accordance with international standards. In 1987, it became an attached agency of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) through Executive Order 126 and was subsequently placed under the DMW pursuant to Republic Act 11641, or the law establishing the DMW, enacted in 2021.
