PPA unveils plans for National Maritime Week

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id-100204272The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) has prepared a full line-up of worthwhile and productive activities as it gears up to lead the country’s celebration of National Maritime Week (NMW) on September 25 to September 30.

This year’s NMW theme, “Shipping: Indispensable to the World,” was coined by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the maritime policy-making body of the United Nations.

The maritime week will be packed with the conduct of simultaneous events nationwide including sports fests, coastal clean-ups, capacity-building seminars, job fairs as well as singing and arts contests, PPA said.

“We promise a lively and interactive National Maritime Week,” PPA acting general manager Jay Daniel Santiago said in a press statement.

Santiago added that the present administration “has a soft spot for the maritime industry,” adding that their marching orders are “to make this celebration as significant as possible to make a dent not only in the hearts of the men and women of the industry but the entire Filipino people and the world.”

A highlight of the event is a nationwide port and harbor clean-up drive on September 27 to coincide with International Coastal Clean-up Day and to be joined by numerous government and private agencies.

“The NMW Committee also required all ship captains to dress up their respective ships while in the port starting September 25 up to the end of the week-long celebration,” Santiago said, adding that these ships will blow their horns for two minutes starting 8 a.m. on September 25.

The National Maritime Week is celebrated by virtue of Proclamation No. 1094, which consolidates the holding of the National Seafarers Day (NSD), National Maritime Day (NMD), and National Maritime Week (NMW) for a more significant and inspiring celebration.

The NSD is celebrated through Presidential Proclamation 1094 series of 1997, which amended Presidential Proclamation No. 828 series of 1996 and declared the last Sunday of September of every year as NSD. The proclamation seeks to underscore the vital role of Filipino seafarers in the development of the Philippines as a maritime country.

The IMO, on the other hand, through Circular No. 1884 dated July 11, 1996, requested all member nations to celebrate the World Maritime Day during the last week of September of each year.

In the Philippines, Presidential Proclamation No. 866 dated September 6, 1996 declares September 27, 1996 and the last Friday of September every year as NMD.

Among the participating agencies this year are the Department of Tourism, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Transportation, Maritime Industry Authority, Philippine Coast Guard, National Commission for Culture and the Arts, Philippine Navy, Cebu Ports Authority, Apostleship of the Sea, Conference of Maritime Manning Agencies, Filipino Association for Mariner’s Employment, Inc., and Luneta Seafarers Welfare Foundation, Inc.

Also joining the celebration are Masters and Mates Association of the Philippines, Philippine Association of Manning Agencies and Ship Managers, Inc., Philippine Association of Maritime Institute, Philippine Association of Maritime Training Center, Inc., Philippine Interisland Shipping Association, Lighterage Association of the Philippines, Philippine Liner Shipping Association, Inc., Asian Terminals, Inc., International Container Terminal Services, Inc., Manila North Harbour Port, Inc., Angkla Party list, Maritime Training Council, and Marine Engineers Officers Association of the Philippines.

The Philippine Ship Agents Association, United Filipino Seafarers, United Harbor Pilots’ Association of the Philippines, Associated Marine Officers and Seamen’s Union of the Philippines, and the Maritime Law Association of the Philippines are going to be part of the weeklong celebration as well.

Image courtesy of kongsky at FreeDigitalPhotos.net