EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
First Regular Session )

TIME:

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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Introduced by Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez

House Bill No, 6397
EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Philippine Merchant Marine Academy (PMMA) is the only government maritime
higher education institution tasked to produce merchant marine officers. It has been in
existence for 200 years now and has produced graduates such as merchant marine officers
who continue to dominate in the world fleet as well become executives in manning and
shipping agencies.

There are about 1.6 million seafarers in the international labour market. Of this
number, 30% are Filipino seafarers who operate the world's merchant fleet which earned the
Philippines its title as the manning capital of the world. Lately, however, China has overtaken
the Philippines as number one provider of officers to the world fleet while the Philippines
continue to be the number one provider of ratings. The challenge now is how the Philippines
can regain its position as the number one provider of merchant marine officers. It must be
able to provide the shipping sector with highly qualified merchant marine officers.

With this, it is about time for the PMMA’s expansion to the whole country through the
establishment of a campus in the Visayas and Mindanao. Expansion in Visayas and
Mindanao will make free quality maritime education accessible to people with less
opportunity to this kind of education. The PMMA has free tuition and other school fees as per
Republic Act 10931 otherwise known as the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education
Act.

Data for the past five years, 2015 to 2019, reveal that PMMA’s reach are mostly in
Luzon and very insignificant in the Visayas and Mindanao with 82% of the applicants coming
from Luzon area while only 8% and 10% are from Visayas and Mindanao respectively. The
low number of applicants can be attributed to the fact that the PMMA is located in Metro
Manila, Further, there is quite a distance from Visayas and Mindanao to the testing centers
and the lack of a strong marketing strategy that will reach even the most remote places of
the country. Thus, establishing the expansion campus in these two islands will provide
access to people at minimum expense since they do not have to go to Manila for the
purpose. This will hopefully increase the intake of applicants and consequently the number
of passers from these two areas. Likewise, having these two campuses will decongest
Luzon ad applicants will no longer be going to Manila if they want to study in a maritime
higher education institution. Having more graduates from Visayas and Mindanao areas will
help elevate the quality of life not just of the students and their families, but also their
community and the region as a whole.

The Visayas particularly Eastern Visayas primarily relies on agriculture where 31.5
percent of workers are dependent on the sector. Having a PMMA Visayas Campus will open
job opportunities in other sectors.

In view of the foregoing, immediate approval of this measure is earnestly requested.

RUFYS B. RODRI


EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
First Regular Session )

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Introduced by Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez
6397

House Bill No.

AN ACT
CONVERTING THE NATIONAL MARITIME POLYTECHNIC (NMP) IN TACLOBAN INTO
THE PHILIPPINE MERCHANT MARINE ACADEMY (PMMA) VISAYAS EXTENSION
CAMPUS PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. The National Maritime Polytechnic (NMP) is Tacloban, Leyte, as created by
Presidential Decree 1369, is hereby converted into the Philippine Merchant Marine Academy
(PMMA) Visayas Extension Campus.

SEC 2. The operations of the PMMA Visayas Extension Campus shall be subject to the
provisions of Republic Act 3680 and PD 1369.

SEC 2. The amount of Five Hundred Million Pesos (Php 500,000,000) is hereby
appropriated for the conversion of the NMP into the PMMA Extension Campus in Cagayan
de Oro City. Said fund shall be used for the purchase of equipment, furniture, fixtures, and
for personnel services. Thereafter, the amount necessary to ensure the continued operations
and maintenance of the three PMMA Campuses shall be included in the Annual General
Appropriations Act.

SEC 3. Implementing Rules and Regulations. The NMP, PMMA and the Commission of
Higher Education shall formulate the implementing rules and regulations to carry out the
implementation of this Act.

SEC 4. Separability Clause. If, for any reason, any part or provision of this Act is declared
unconstitutional or invalid, the remaining provisions hereof which are not affected thereby
shall continue to be in full force and effect.

SEC 5. Repealing Clause. All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and regulations or
portions thereof which are inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed, amended or
modified accordingly.

SEC 6. Effectivity Clause. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in
the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,