President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Tuesday vowed to continue pushing for the advancement of maritime education in the country.

In his message during the 201st Commencement Exercises of the Philippine Merchant Marine Academy, read by Presidential Assistant on Maritime Concerns Secretary Andres Centino, Marcos expressed confidence that the initiatives his government is taking will usher in the “new breed of Filipino sailors” that will change the local maritime landscape.

“We assure you that we will continue to improve our country’s maritime education sector to make it more responsive to the evolving needs of our nation and the global maritime industry,” Marcos told the “Mandagayan” Class of 2024.

Among government initiatives to advance maritime education are the revised standards for the Bachelor of Science in Marine Transportation and Bachelor of Science in Marine Engineering programs issued through a joint memorandum by the Maritime Industry Authority and the Commission on Higher Education.

The policy includes the procedures for monitoring and evaluating maritime higher education institutions to ensure that they “meet the highest global standards in line with the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping for Seafarers.”

In February this year, Marcos issued Executive Order 55, laying out the 10-year Maritime Industry Development Plan 2028 aimed at upskilling and reskilling the maritime workforce, improving their employability, and ensuring their continuous growth and development.

“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,” the President said.

In the same message, the President also urged the PMMA graduates to be courageous and strong in character as they now “belong to the elite few who have endured the rigorous formation of this prestigious institution.”

“No matter where your future takes you —whether in the merchant fleets, in the Philippine Navy, in the Coast Guard— I hope you will bring the same grit you had shown when you first decided to set foot in this Academy,” he said.

Of the 303 MANDAGAYAN class members, 285 of them eyed to pursue careers in shipping companies and manning agencies; 12 in the Philippine Coast Guard; and six in the Philippine Navy.

MANDAGAYAN stands for “Magigiting na Mandaragat Tagapagpanatili ng Kapayapaan at Kaunlaran ng Bansang Laya.”

Some 24 master’s degree graduates also joined the PMMA’s 201st commencement exercises. (PNA)