THE Philippine Merchant Marine Academy (PMMA) in San Narciso, Zambales will soon have a new campus in Cagayan de Oro City (CDO) following the enactment of Republic Act 11782 authored by CDO 2nd District Rep. Rufus Rodriguez.
The bill seeking to create the PMMA-CDO campus lapsed last May after former president Rodrigo Duterte stepped down on June 30 without signing the bill together with 25 other bills.
In a statement, Rodriguez said he is currently in talks with PMMA president Superintendent Commodore Joel Abutal for the necessary preparations in establishing the said academy.
“PMMA is now drafting the implementing rules and regulations of the law. We will also be determining an administrator who is qualified to head the campus,” he added.
The PMMA-CdeO will provide short-term, technical-vocational, undergraduate, and graduate courses for aspiring cadets in Mindanao, especially from CdeO. Those passing the entrance exams will be given free tuition, fees, and uniforms.
The aim is to produce highly skilled and qualified individuals that will be guaranteed employment once they graduate. It will also provide a chance for young people to take up maritime courses free of tuition and fees.
According to Rodriguez, courses on BS Marine Transportation and BS Marine Engineering will be initially offered to interested students.
Presently, PMMA has 48 partner shipping companies that will provide immediate employment opportunities for its graduates.
The initial funding of the said institution will be sourced from the General Appropriations Act (GAA). The CdeO lawmaker said he will push for additional funds for PMMA-CdeO campus during the 2023 budget deliberations starting this September.
