University of Cebu

The International Maritime Employers’ Committee (IMEC) will officially give 50 scholarship grants by June, 2008.

For the program’s first school year, there will be 25 Marine Engineering and 25 Marine Transportation freshmen at METC who will enjoy the scholarship. The number is expected to grow in the coming years.

IMEC’s partnership with UC was approved by the IMEC Executive Board in December, 2007, after IMEC Secretary General Mr. David Dearsly, Mr. Joseph Thuillier and Mr. Bob Godall visited the campus and met with UC President Atty. Augusto W. Go on November 13, 2007.

To finalize the details of the program, IMEC Training Consultant Capt. Cedric D’ Souza met with the president and UC-METC Administrators on January 9, 2008. He also visited the various facilities in the campus, including the construction site of the rising JG Building, which will accommodate IMEC scholars’ new classrooms and facilities and those of the NSA alongside UC-METC key offices.

The building, put up by UC, will be named after the UC President’s favorite brother, Jose Gotianuy. However, the number of floors of the edifice— whether it will be three or four stories high— will depend on the ability of the contractor to pick up the pace and deliver on the projected date. The building is expected to be ready by May and will be operational by June, 2008.

The structure is estimated to be worth P90 million.

“METC is as good as a new and modern ship; a far cry from my training 27 years ago!,” exclaimed Capt. D’ Souza after the campus tour. He intends to suggest the acquisition of additional equipment.

IMEC is an employers’ organization based in London. They have 125 member companies all over the world, operating 6,500 ships and employing over 145,000 seafarers of different nationalities. “These shipping companies have gathered together to have a louder voice,” explained Capt. D’ Souza.

The Training Consultant also explained the current statistics on the shortage of seafarers. “Quoting reports from shipyards, around 7,000 new ships will be delivered in the next two to three years, while 3,000 ships will be going to the scrap yard. We need 10 officers per ship, and another set on vacation. That’s 20 officers per ship. In conclusion, we will need 80,000 officers in the next three years!” he said.

Capt. D’ Souza not only assisted in the university’s campaign for IMEC scholars but also personally prepared materials for scholarships.

“We also target candidates from higher social economic levels, debunking the notion that seafarers come from the lower economic strata”, he said. To stress his point, Capt. D’ Souza cited that a seafarer receives competitive pay, at par or even more than that of any local practicing doctor or lawyer. “IMEC member-companies compensate ,000 to ,000 per month to its Captains on board!,” informed Capt. D’ Souza.

UC-METC Marine Engineering Dean Engr. Marcos Oyao added that IMEC companies seek Filipino Officers “because of their work values and because they are willing to sacrifice for their families’ sake.”

A Portuguese national, Capt. D’ Souza has personally expressed his faith in the Pinoys, taking into consideration the lineage of the race, and the archipelago’s lengthy coast line which is said to be the longest in the world.

“Filipinos are known to be very good seafarers because they are a rich blend of Indonesian, Malay, Arab, Chinese, Spanish and American cultures, which makes them eager and intrepid sailors,” he said.

Aside from the Philippines, IMEC has similar scholarship programs in Sri Lanka and Poland. Some IMEC member-companies have also initiated their own recruitment program to respond to the shortage.

The MOA signing of UC and IMEC was held on January 21, 2008, at the UC Main Conference Room.