MARINA hosts 2nd APEC Strategy Planning Meeting for Seafarers

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) hosted the 2nd Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Strategy Planning Meeting for the Seafarer Excellence Network of the Asia Pacific (SENAP) on 03-05 April 2019. The Korean Institute of Maritime and Fisheries Technology (KIMF) assisted in organizing the three-day meeting.

The SENAP is a comprehensive network that promotes information sharing and skills transfer between the seafarers, the academe, and other industry stakeholders.

At the three-day meeting, the APEC delegates finalized the Terms of Reference (TOR) for the establishment and the sustainable operation of the SENAP. The APEC member economies also discussed the development of a seafarer career path from maritime education and training, pre-sea service, recruitment, sea service, post-sea service, and further professional development.

KIMFT President Lee Dong Jae emphasized the importance of extending support and sharing of best practices among experts in the production of efficient maritime workforce in the APEC community.

“With the strong cooperation between APEC economies, the establishment of SENAP has taken shape to what it currently is – a substantial platform for achieving seafarer excellence through a network of maritime education and training best practices, capacity building programs, as well as maritime policies and regulations across the region,” KIMFT President Lee Dong Jae said.

The MARINA likewise encouraged the APEC delegates to be unwavering in their efforts to promote the welfare of the seafarers and the development of the maritime industry.

“We continue to beam with pride because of the passion and unity among APEC member economies to develop a maritime workforce known for their professionalism, moral standards, and excellence in service. Let us implement greater efforts to promote skilled maritime labor mobility within the APEC community and other nations in need of our seafarers,” MARINA – STCW Office OIC Executive Director Rear Admiral Virme Torralba said.

Jumpstart Your Summer at Enchanted Kingdom!

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Student Ka-Summer EKstravaganza Promo
School’s out and that can only mean one thing—SUMMER’S FINALLY HERE!

Spend the sunny days in the best way possible—chill out with your squad at Enchanted Kingdom, the country’s first and only world class theme park.

To help you beat the heat, we’re offering a special P750 Regular Day Pass rate bundled with a FREE CUP of Ice Monster to students upon presentation of their valid school ID.

Our Student Ka-Summer EKstravaganza Promo is open to ALL students, as they present their valid school ID. They can avail only one (1) Regular Day Pass per ID, per day. This promo runs from March 31, 2019 to May 26, 2019 only.

Tickets may be purchased at the Front Gate ticket booths, Group Sales Office – Santa Rosa, and Makati Sales Office. All tickets cannot be rebooked nor be used in conjunction with any other promos and discounts.

Visit www.enchantedkingdom.ph to see the Park schedule and plan your trip to Enchanted Kingdom! See you there!

Vigan Airport’s Runway Extension Project Breaks Ground

Wazzup Pilipimas!

The Vigan Airport rises to meet a more robust passenger demand through the groundbreaking for the runway extension project today, 08 April 2019.

The Department of Transportation (DOTr), Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), Department of National Defense (DND), and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), together with the provincial government of Ilocos Sur, led the groundbreaking ceremony of the airport development project.

Once completed, the PhP69-million runway extension project will enable Vigan Airport to cater to bigger aircrafts, which means more flights and more passengers for the airport. 

“When we build and improve our nation’s airports, we are also building platforms for mobility and connectivity that usher in economic and social development. Through this project, Vigan will be more accessible to Filipinos who wish to witness its historical charm. And we know that with more people coming in to Vigan, more jobs come to life for our kababayans,” said DOTr Secretary Arthur P. Tugade, who was represented in the groundbreaking ceremony by Undersecretary for Aviation and Airports Manuel Antonio Tamayo.

The Vigan Airport Development Project is among four airport projects that proceed from the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signed by the DOTr and the DND in November 2018. The AFP Task Force for Infrastructure Development, headed by M/Gen. Felipe Bejar, will implement the airport projects through funds downloaded from the DOTr.

The infrastructure development project of Vigan Airport was launched to address the growing demand for improvement in the airport serving the general area of the Ilocos Region. Aside from the runway extension, projects such as the runway site acquisition, expansion of Passenger Terminal Building (PTB), construction of an Administration Building, and improvement of Vehicle Parking Area (VPA) are also in the works.

Vigan Airport, classified as a community airport by the CAAP, currently caters to general aviation aircraft. In just a span of two years, passenger volume has tripled in Vigan. From a record of 14,645 passengers in 2016, the airport was able to register 47,856 passengers for 2018, a compelling indication that Vigan is swiftly gaining an influx of passengers.

The City of Vigan, which also serves as the province’s capital, is located on the western coast of the island of Luzon, facing the South China Sea. Well-known for being a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the city boasts of cobblestone streets and unique architecture that fuses Philippine building design with colonial European architecture.