Graduation of Class 2010
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The long wait of the LEGANEAS Class of 2010 was over last June 17 to June 19 when they shouted their last HOORAA on their graduation ceremonies that was held on the traditional three day parade, which is composed of the Alumni parade, Awarding and Relieving Parade and for the third day the last march of the Graduating class of 2010.

During the Alumni Parade the Guest of honor Vice Admiral Nonato Calderon greets and congratulates the MAAP Faculty and Staff for producing outstanding graduates who are now officer’s onboard foreign vessel and commended the Alumni from the different batches for their continuing support and loyalty to the academy.

On the second day the awarding ceremony was held. The guest of honor Hon. Albert S. Garcia, representative of the second district of Bataan, gave his commendation for the meritorious deeds of the awardees and challenge the other midshipmen to strive harder. It was then followed by the relieving of duty by the Fleet Officers of the outgoing batch and the incoming batch, the ALTHAZEAN class of 2011. The dunking rites were also held on the second day, where the underclassmen pay their respects to the graduating upperclassmen. In the afternoon, the Baccalaureate mass was held. The giving of bibles, shoulder boards and insignias for their commissionship as Ensign, was also celebrated.

On the last day of the graduation RADM. Danilo M. Cortez AFP, the Acting Flag Officer in Command of the Phil. Navy gives the Oath of Office to the class 2010 providing them with their commission orders with the rank of Ensign. The guest of Honor, Hon. Arturo D. Brion, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court delivered his speech giving inspirational advice for the Graduating class, this making class 2010 the 8th batch to graduate from the Maritime Academy of Asia and the Pacific. Top of Page
 
IMO Week - Visit of the Secretary-General Efthimios E. Mitropoulos

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JUNE 22, 2010-MAAP (IMMAJ CAMPUS) Arrival honors were given by the second squadron of the fleet to welcome the Sec. General of IMO (International Maritime Organization) Admiral Efthimios E. Mitropoulos. The said parade was attended by more than 400 students from the different high schools of Mariveles Bataan, plus the thousand cadets of MAAP. The visit was part of the IMO celebration of the 2010 Year of the Seafarers, where the program was included in a whole week celebration dedicated for the seafarers.

Admiral Mitropoulos commended MAAP for its participation and outstanding performance. In his speech he mentioned the importance of STCW (Standard of Training and Certification on Watch Keeping for Seafarers) its relevance to the life of a seafarer. He also gave his comments about the Piracy issue where he quoted that it should be stopped. Lastly, he gave his invitation to each and everyone to GO TO SEA.

After the parade was concluded Admiral Mitropoulos was given a tour to the different simulator and laboratory facilities where he expressed his amusement and appreciation to the hospitality of MAAP. He was also happy to see that the equipments were state of the art and he said that he is sure that the Midshipmen Fleet was provided with proper education and training.

By MIDN. 1CL YUMANG, XAVIER P. Top of Page
 
Academic Convocation for School Year 2010-2011
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MARIVELES, BATAAN- The Cadets of Maritime Academy of Asia and the Pacific (MAAP) held their convocation ceremony last June 7, 2010. After two months of Indoctrination and Orientation Program (IOP) of the class of 2014, they were promoted to Fourth-class midshipmen and were considered the newest member of the fleet. The class of 2013now gained one bar on their shoulders as a symbol of their new responsibility to the fleet, that is, to be role models and mentors to their underclassmen. The class of 2013 was promoted to Third-classmen, the class of 2012 as Second-classmen, and the newly disembarked class of 2011 as first class midshipmen, who will lead the midshipman fleet in the academic year of 2010-2011.

Chief Engineer Rodolfo Paiso, the Dean of Academics, presented the different classes as candidates for promotion to the next rank and were then acknowledged and approved by VADM Eduardo Ma. R Santos, MAAP President.

This convocation was considered to have the largest delegation so far due to the presence of heads and representatives from different seamen’s union such as the All Japan Seamen’s Union (JSU), headed by Capt, Takao Manji, president of JSU, the International Maritime Employment Committee(IMEC), The International Mariner’s Management of Japan (IMMAJ), and other local and international sponsoring companies.

After the event, the cadets were able to talk to the representatives of their respective sponsoring companies to discuss and establish good tidings with each other. Top of Page
 
Recognition of Class 2013

469 fourth class midshipmen from the Arkheigions Class of 2013 finally experienced the traditional Recognition Rites during the Recognition Parade held last March 13, 2010 at the Maritime Academy of Asia and the Pacific.       

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Recognition Rites is a symbolic milestone for plebes, for it is the time when their upperclassmen finally acknowledges their existence with a simple handshake and consequently bequeaths them their role as mentors.

The Recognition Day started with a dialogue with the parents of the class of 2013 with MAAP President Vadm. Eduardo Ma R. Santos at the Don Emilio Building Auditorium. Questions and other concerns were raised and were answered by the President himself. This was immediately followed by the Silent Drill Exhibition of the Silent Drill Company of the class 2013 at the New Parade Ground. Simultaneously at the old parade ground, arrival honors were given to Commodore Luis M. Alano, PN, who came in line of the guest of honor Radm Feliciano A. Argue AFP, Chief of Naval staff, PN.        

In Vadm. Santos speech during the Recognition Parad, Parents got emotional as they reminisced the drastic transformations which took place on their sons and daughters. The guest of honor Commodore Alano recalled his own experience as a plebe and stressed out the true meaning of recognition.

The Recognition Rites was concluded with the fourth class midshipmen forming a diamond that means being formally recognized by their upperclassmen as part of the bigger and greater MAAP family.

4CL Ricafort, Kenneth Ian T. Top of Page
MAAP joins Int’l Coastal Clean-up Day

Two hundred of midshipmen of the Maritime Academy of Asia and the Pacific (MAAP) joined the coastal clean-up commemorated worldwide last September 19, 2009 with a theme “Be a part of the solution to clean marine pollution”.

MAAP together with the Philippine Association of Extension Program Implementers, Inc (PAEPI) headed by Dr. Angelica Baylon along with Susan Murillo and the Provincial Government of Bataan and the Bataan Coastal Care Foundation, Inc worked hand in hand in cleaning the shorelines of Marina, Brgy. Alas-asin, Mariveles, Bataan.

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Mariveles Vice Mayor Noel Valde Cañas, the Sangguniang Kabataan and the nearby residents also participated in the said activity.

More that 20 bags of garbage including styrophore, rubber slippers, torn textile, nets, plastic wrappers and the like were collected and had been disposed properly in the city dump.

Coastal cleaning up is not only helping the aquatic realm but also the maritime industry that’s depending on it. It also encourages people living near the shorelines to preserve and maintain the cleanliness of the sea, Baylon said.
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VMMC conducts blood letting

The operation lifeline of Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) in cooperation with the 169th NROTC unit conducted a blood letting activity at the Maritime Academy of Asia and the Pacific (MAAP) last September 26, 2009.

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The said activity, which is also done in other schools and offices in Metro Manila and in the other regions in Luzon, is super headed by Dr. Joel R. Regalado MD, head of the Department of Pathology of VMMC.

The 100% free blood donation activity, the third time this semester, aims to provide adequate supply of safe and clean blood to VMMC patients and also to encourage other hospitals to conduct the same. VMMC usually collects about 100-200 bags of 500cc blood of different types.

According to Dr. Manuel Barnes, MD., the said activity also seeks to help those in need of blood as well as to check the status of the donor’s health.

It also benefits the donor because it stimulates the bone marrow to produce new blood cells for a person to become healthier, he added. Top of Page
Class 2011 finish ICTFS Program

MANILA, PHILIPPINES – After three months of cadetship training, 90 cadets from the Class of 2011 of the Maritime Academy of Asia and the Pacific completed the International Cooperative Training for Foreign Seafarers (ICTFS) Program aboard T/S Kapitan Felix Oca last July 12, 2009.

The said program, which is patterned from the National Institute for Sea Training (NIST) of Japan, started April of this year. The cadets underwent lectures, trainings, and practical works under the supervision of the maritime instructors.

“Based on the onboard observation conducted recently, we received a report that you (MAAP cadets) have obtained a highly-qualified onboard cadetship training through the guidance of VADM Eduardo Ma R Santos AFP (Ret) and Capt A Rondain, as well as the rest of the instructors, “Capt. Yoji Fujisawa, President of All Japan Seamen’s Union, in his remarks.

This is one of the reasons why the said program is being continued wherein the third batch, which is composed of 120 cadets from 36 school nationwide, embarked and started their shipboard training on the same day. Composed of 74 deck cadets and 46 engine cadets, they were selected based on their rankings on the national examination conducted by the IMMAJ-PJMCC during their second year in college.

“Rest assured that after your graduation, we from the JSU, together with the AMOSUP and all other related organizations and agencies will continue cooperating, making sure that all of you can work as seafarers into a more workable environment with peace of mind at all times, “ Fujisawa said. Top of Page
MAAP, GASFI  promote parent reading

Gig and the Amazing Sampaguita Foundation Incorporated (GASFI), MAAP English Club, faculty and staff conducted a meeting tackling children’s development in terms of reading at the MAAP multi-purpose hall last September 4-5, 2009.

GASFI, headed by its president Marissa Oca, turned over 29 boxes of books for children. Their main goal is to promote unity among seafaring families through parent’s reading aloud to their children.

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GASFI representative Charisma Gredona and others demonstrated story telling techniques to English Club led by 1cl Dennis Bitala.

MAAP, being GASFI’s coordinator in Bataan as represented by Susan Murillo pledge to give full support by means of possible extension services like donating books to various preschools of Bataan. Top of Page