NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
) 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Introduced by Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez 
House Bill No.  _____ 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Philippine Merchant Marine Academy (PMMA) is the pioneer institution in maritime 
education in the country and has produced finest Filipino merchant marine officers. For many 
years, it has produced many master mariners, chief engineers, shipping executives, naval 
officers, and excellent educators and trainors now serving in marine and maritime related 
industries in our country and abroad. 
Throughout the years, the PMMA has become the gold standard in terms of producing 
Filipino seafarers from the perspective of the European, American, Asian ship owners and 
employers. The PMMA develops and updates its curriculum based on the ship owner's 
requirements such as keeping up with the technology development, world geo-political 
situation, theoretical and practical academic process developed inside the academy, to 
include regimental system.  
With the Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity of the situation in the 
country, the PMMA is not just responding to its merchant or commercial needs anymore; and 
unfortunately, having a limited merchant marine image due to its name from 1963 (RA 3680) 
reduces its ability to get more funding from the national government for its requirements 
resulting to depleting foreign flag employment of the Filipinos. From 2016 to 2018 the 
Philippine ship manning agencies loss 105,318 seafarers due to loss of confidence and failure 
to meet EMSA standards in maritime training.  
The PMMA is now utilized by the Navy and the Philippine Coast Guard as one 
of their major sources of highly qualified officers to meet their fleet modernization. PMMA is 
also still the preference of the foreign shipping companies' despite of its very limited number 
of students. Therefore, it is about time to change the Philippine Merchant Marine Academy 
into the Philippine National Maritime Academy with a new campus in Mindanao (under RA 
11782) to expand economic gains of the country and increase the source of maritime officers 
for the country's defense and maritime law enforcement. 
This will also upgrade the and modernize the curriculum of the Academy which will 
produce graduates who are responsive to the needs of the current situation. It will also address 
the strategic needs of the changing international and domestic maritime industry. 
In view of the foregoing, immediate approval of this measure is earnestly requested. 
RUFUS B. RODRIGUEZ 
December 6, 2022
8:00 am
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NINETEENTH CONGRESS   
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session  
 
) 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Introduced by Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez 
House Bill No.  _____ 
AN ACT 
UPGRADING AND STRENGTHENING THE PHILIPPINE MARITIME INDUSTRY BY 
CHANGING THE PHILIPPINE MERCHANT MARINE ACADEMY INTO PHILIPPINE 
NATIONAL MARITIME ACADEMY (PNMA) TO MEET THE STRATEGIC NEEDS OF THE 
CHANGING INTERNATIONAL AND DOMESTIC MARITIME INDUSTRY AND ADDRESS 
THE ECONOMIC AND NATIONAL MARITIME DEFENSE SITUATION, AND FOR OTHER 
PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representative of the Republic of the Philippines 
in Congress assembled: 
Section 1. The Philippine Merchant Marine Academy is hereby upgraded and renamed as the 
Philippine National Maritime Academy in order to meet the needs of the ever-changing global 
economy and national security, such that it no longer focuses on merchant marine trade which 
was the primary objective of RA 3680 of 1963. The PNMA shall address the economic and 
defense requirements of the country including Naval, Maritime Law Enforcement and other 
Maritime Trade and maritime education and training development in reference to UN-IMO-
STCW requirements.  
The PNMA shall be engaged in the following academic engagements: 
a. Conferment of bachelor's degree in Marine Transportation (Major in Ship Management and
minor in maritime cyber security or appropriate minor subjects required by the stake holders);
b. Conferment of bachelor's degree in Marine Engineering (Major in Communications,
Electrical and minor in Maritime Software Development or appropriate subjects required by
stake holders);
c. Graduates of Philippine National Maritime Academy who are holders of a Bachelor of
Science degree shall be exempted from taking Operational Level Assessment of MARINA or
PRC equivalent but shall undergo validation examinations by the PMMA Academic Board.
d. Conferment of Post Graduate degrees in Ship Management, and Maritime Education and
others to be created by PNMA Graduate Studies Department
e. Creation of Research & Development Department engaged in the Academic Development
of the PNMA and the Maritime industry in general. The said Department shall be headed by a
PhD category or MNSA graduate.
f. Full academic freedom status shall be bestowed to PMMA, wherein the Research
Department shall monitor its annual academic curriculum growth and requirement with
reference to the world economic and shipping trends.
The PNMA shall: 
a. develop and create curriculum that will fit the needs of the end users and stake holders in
concurrence with UN-IMO-STCW and others regulations;
b. share developed curriculum that is applicable to the maritime education institutions that is
doable realistic and less expense to the maritime school owners and training centers.
c. ensure that the proposed curriculum to be applied is approved and regulated by CHED;
d. innovate and develop policies that can be used by the local maritime sector
e. be known as the third official Service Academy for Naval, Maritime Law Enforcement
Institutions, Merchant Marine and other maritime related Agencies;
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f. develop and open short training courses that may support the Maritime industry in terms of 
technical, safety and security. Including TESDA accredited short courses related to shipping, 
maritime engineering, and marine services; 
g. ensure that all students shall receive full scholarships which shall include their expenses for 
billeting, haircut, laundry, meals, and all uniforms; 
h. provide monthly cash allowance to all cadets depending on their branch of service and 
career profession as Navy, Coast Guard, or Merchant Marine; 
i. ensure that the academic curriculum format meets the needs of the following government 
agencies, private sectors, and the world maritime industry: 
1. Philippine Navy 
2. Philippine Coast Guard 
3. Philippine National Police Maritime Command 
4. lnternational Shipping and Maritime lndustry 
5. lnternational and National Maritime lndustry as Ship Surveyors, Shipping/Crewing 
Managers, Port Managers, Maritime Academic lnstitution Deans 
6. Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources 
7. NAMRIA- National Mapping Resources lnformation Authority 
8. Philippine Ports Authority 
9. National Coast Watch Council 
 
The PNMA shall also cater the Basic Maritime Training and Theoretical requirements 
for Naval Reservist and Coast Guard Auxiliary Reserve that their respective organization 
requires. 
The PNMA Corps of Professors shall be applied with regimental and civilian uniformed 
culture from its original PMMA organization to PNMA that shall be utilized under the Naval 
Reserve during time of War and National Emergency.  
Cross Training, coordination, and cooperation for appropriate academic curriculum 
with the following: 
a. Development Academy of the Philippines 
b. University of the Philippines 
c. National Defense College of the Philippines 
d. Philippine Military Academy 
e. Philippine National Police Academy 
f. Naval Education Training Command (PN) 
g. Coast Guard Education Training Command (PCG) 
h. AFP Education, Training and Doctrine Command 
i. 
Foreign Maritime lnstitutions with no political or legal conflict (Asia, US, and 
Europe) 
PNMA shall maintain foreign technical consultants from foreign Maritime and 
Academic institutions or from shipping related companies such as shipyards, maritime 
software developers to develop local maritime software in the future. These consultants may 
be in form of Government to Government, IMO, or Existing Foreign Technical government 
consultants as needed. 
 
Section 2. The PMMA shall be headed by a Superintendent, who is a licensed Master Mariner 
or Chief Marine Engineer with a master’s degree related to Maritime lndustry or Master in 
National Security Administration; preferably an alumnus of the PMMA with master's Degree; 
and appointed by the President of the Philippines upon recommendation of the PMMA Board. 
The powers of the Superintendent shall be usually pertaining to a president of a college with 
regimental system. 
 
Section 3. The PNMA shall have a Board of Trustees composed of: 
1. Executive Secretary as Chairman; 
2. Chairman of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED); 
3. Secretary of the Department of Transportation; 


4. PNMA Superintendent; 
5. PNMA Alumni Association President; 
6. Filipino Ship Manning Association President; 
7. Filipino Ship Owners Association President; 
8. MARINA Administrator; 
9. Navy Flag Officer in Command; 
10. Philippine Coast Guard Commandant; 
11. President of the PNMA Corps of Professors, representing all personnel, to 
serve for a term of 2 years; 
12. Prominent citizens engage or previously engaged in maritime transportation 
13. President of the Student Body Organization, chosen by the students, to serve 
for a term of 1 year; 
14. Congressional representative from Maritime Party List; 
15. Congressional Representative from House of Representatives; 
 
Section 4.  
1. The PNMA is a Regimental Civilian Uniformed Academic Unit under the Office of the 
President for its operational control with a military-naval rank for its Corps of Officers 
and Faculty; 
2. The Corps of Professors and Midshipmen shall be integrated to the PCG or Armed 
Forces of the Philippines in times of war or national emergency upon the directives of 
the Commander in Chief; 
3. Appropriate uniforms shall be provided for as part of Academy's annual uniform 
allowance to all commissioned members of the PNMA organization; 
4. Salary grades of the members PNMA commissioned officers shall be patterned after 
the equivalent ranks of the AFP/PCG-Naval rank; 
5. The Superintendent is the over-all administrator and academic director of the Academy 
with a rank of 3 Stars or Vice Admiral of the PNMA; 
6. The Assistant Superintendent for Operations oversees the Academy operations with a 
rank of 2 stars or Rear Admiral of the PMMA; 
7. The Assistant Superintendent for Administration is in charge of all faculty and rank and 
file employees of the Academy with a rank of 2 stars or Rear Admiral of the PNMA; 
8. The PNMA Deputy Superintendent for PNMA-CDO, Mindanao Campus shall be a 
master mariner or chief engineer with a rank of Rear Admiral of the PNMA or 2 stars; 
9. The PNMA Chief of Staff shall be the traffic officer of the staff officers of the 
Superintendent with a rank of 1 star or Commodore of the PNMA. 
10. The following are the Central Staff of PNMA with a rank of PNMA Captain or full 
colonel: 
a. PNMA - 1 or Administration and Human Resources 
b. PNMA - 2 or lnformation, lntelligence and Security Officer 
c. PNMA - 3 or Operations Officer (with experience in Corporate Management, 
Military, Coast Guard and or Academe) 
d. PNMA - 4 or Finance Officer (with BS Accountancy experience and license) 
e. PNMA - 5 or Procurement, Supply and Logistics Officer (with background in 
accountancy, logistics and supply) 
f. PNMA - 6 or Engineering, Repairs and Maintenance Officer (With background 
in Engineering)  
 
Section 5. Departments of the PNMA 
A. Department of the Cadet/Midshipmen Affairs (DMA) - Commandant of Cadets (Alumnus of 
Service Academy or PNS/PMMAIPNMA) with a rank of 1 star or PNMA Commodore over the 
two campuses in Zambales and in Cagayan De Oro. He will oversee the daily routine of cadets 
and their discipline including prevention of hazing in a regimental environment. Under him will 
be the Deputy Commandant of Cadets in charge of Tactical Officers with a rank of PNMA 
Captain 


 
B. Department of Academics (DA) shall be headed by a 1 star or Commodore with a minimum 
qualification of master's degree in Maritime Academics and a Licensed Merchant 
Marine and under him/her shall be the deans of 5 academic departments: 
1. Dean of Marine Transportation with a rank of PNMA Captain 
2. Dean of Marine Engineering with a rank of PNMA Captain 
3. Dean of Graduate/Post Studies with a rank of PNMA Captain 
4. 4 Dean of Technical Studies (Ratings, TESDA and Training Courses) with a 
rank of PNMA Captain 
5. 5 Dean of Sports Department (Sports and Martial Arts) with a rank of PNMA 
Captain 
 
C. Department of Shipboard Training (DST) 
1. Dean of Shipboard rraining with a rank of PNMA commodore must be a 
Licensed Mariner and Alumnus with Ship manning manager experience or 
equivalent for a minimum of 15 years. The main job is to ensure shipboard 
training of all cadets enrolled in the program whether organic PNMA Cadets or 
Private Maritime School Cadets enrolled in the program. 
 
2. Assistant Dean of Shipboard Training Department for Operations shall be a 
licensed Merchant Marine Officer with a rank of PNMA Captain. The function 
is to ensure that all cadets are monitored daily for their respective vessel 
operations with Remote Bridge Monitoring system.  
 
3. Ship Management General Manager- To operate the economic and financial 
aspect of the Training Ships of the PNMA. The GM shall have a rank of Captain 
or Commander if junior officer. 
 
4. DST-Alumni Monitoring Affairs (DAMA) shall monitor all alumni status 
especially of their mandatory service to the government for the completion of 
their 4 years mandatory service within 15 years. DAMA shall also implement 
and monitor the PAY BACK system of Alumnus after its graduation and shall 
provide bi-annually report to the BOT via the Superintendent. 
 
D. Department of Naval Science and Tactics 
The Department of Naval Science and Tactics shall focus on the development of 
Cadets joining the Philippine Navy and the commissionship either in the Active, Reserve or 
Auxiliary duties. The Philippine Navy shall assign a regular Commandant of Cadets for the 
Department of Naval Science and Tactics Department 
 
E. Department of Coast Guard and Maritime Law Enforcement 
The Department of Coast Guard and Law Enforcement shall be created to focus on 
the development of Cadets and its curriculum in joining the PCG, NAMRIA and PNP Maritime 
law enforcement 
 
Section 8. PNMA Multi Role Training Vessel. - The PNMA shall have an appropriate number 
of Multi Role Training Vessel (MRTV) that can be used as training ship for all maritime students 
nationwide and additional two 35- meters Fast Patrol Boats to be acquired from the source of 
the PCG's OPV 27O models from France and a turnkey project which is a Hybrid (Diesel-
Electric) Vessel that shall be utilized for the following strategic maritime functions: 
1. As a Training Vessel for organic PNMA and private maritime school cadets 
specially from Visayas and Mindanao areas. 
2. To be used as standby vessel for mass repatriation of Filipino OFWs anywhere 
in the world if needed upon the recommendation of the PNMA Board. 


3. For Environmental, Maritime and Anti-Smuggling Patrol with the PCG, 
Customs, BFAR and Naval officers and personnel. The PNMA shall be the 
carrier and operator of the vessel as needed by the other government agencies 
requiring maritime transport capability upon recommendation by the PNMA 
Board 
4. For Anti Marine Pollution operations as per recommendation by the PNMA 
Board. 
5. For search and Rescue operations upon recommendation by the PNMA Board 
6. For Naval Reservist and coast Guard Auxiliary shipboard familiarization and 
Training 
7. For research purposes of NAMRIA, BFAR, and others 
 
Section 9. All Congressional Districts are given the privilege to endorse a Congressional 
Nominee for a slot in every school year. All candidates must be endorsed by their respective 
Congressional Representatives. 
Three (3) candidates with good academic and good moral character shall be 
recommended by their respective Congressman but only one will be accepted among the 
three (3) candidates annually upon passing the rigid academic, mental, and physical 
examination. 
The purpose of this congressional billet of cadets is to ensure that all districts will have 
the chance to develop their districts socially and economically. 
 
Section 10. Mandatory government service and repayment back scheme of every alumnus 
under PNMA. 
Each cadet/midshipman joining the foreign Merchant Maine lndustry will have a 
mandatory accumulated 4 years of accumulated service within the period of 15 years in any 
government service as active or reserve or auxiliary officer serving the teaching, research or 
technical discipline (onboard, engineering or consultancy) particularly with the Navy Reserve 
or as coast Guard Auxiliary officers (subject to PCG endorsement) as Annual Active-Duty 
Training status. 
Teaching at PNMA, PMA, PNPA, NDCP, NETC, CGETC and other uniformed or 
civilian government post like PPA, or NAMRIA are also considered counted in the mandatory 
service. 
Monitoring of the Alumni for their accumulated service shall be under PNMA-shipboard 
training Department-DAMA. Annual reporting is also mandatory by personal appearance, e-
mail, electronic means or by snail mail are acceptable with status. December and June bi-
annual reporting shall be imposed on all alumni in order to find out their actual employment 
status within the first 15 years after graduation. 
Graduates of PNMA who wish to pay back their scholarship may also start paying back 
thru PNMA-DST-DAMA monthly collection system. This method shall the increase budget for 
the following school year to accommodate more qualified scholars. 
Cooperation with PNMA-PNMA Alumni Association shall also be applied with the 
creation of their office inside the PNMA main campus to ensure full tracking of graduates. 
Graduates who will fail to complete 4 years mandatory service within 15 years from 
the government service shall pay the full amount of their scholarship based on the present 
value with interest and inflation cost after 15 years in order for the said amount to be used by 
the succeeding cadet/midshipmen. 
Short of 2 years government service may be computed in fraction based on their 
number of years of service and shortage of period to be based in ratio and proportion. Basis 
of tuition fees and computation shall be the present actual value to ensure inflation rate is 
included. 
None completion of 4 years and none return of tuition fees and expenses shall mean 
none renewal of all travel documentation for shipboard employment either local or foreign. 
Civil and/or criminal liability for breach of contract shall be imposed for failure to 
comply. 


Foreign-based graduates with change of nationality or holding dual citizenships within 
15 years shall report to the Philippine Embassy of their respective foreign domicile and shall 
comply with their responsibilities of 4 years of service or refund of scholarship benefits. 
 
Section 11. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – Within thirty (30) days from the approval 
of this Act, the PNMA, and its Board shall promulgate the rules and regulations necessary to 
implement the provisions of this Act. 
 
Section 12. Separability Clause - If any provision of this Act is declared unconstitutional 
inoperative, the other provisions not so declared shall remain in force and effect. 
 
Section 13. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations or parts 
thereof inconsistent with the Act or the rules and regulations promulgated pursuant thereto 
are hereby repealed or amended accordingly. 
 
Section 14. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after publication in 
two (2) national newspapers of general circulation. 
 
Approved,