On behalf of the Chairman of the Board and CEO, Dr./BGen.Antonio Laperal Tamayo, it is my distinct pleasure to welcome each and everyone of you to our Biñan campus which is one of the 9 campuses under the University of Perpetual Help System.

The Perpetualite Family is truly blessed and grateful to the Philippine Association of Maritime Institutions or PAMI, of course through its very capable President, Engr Felix Oca, and the other PAMI officers, Engineer Benito P Chiongbian, Vice President of R-NET NCR/Southern Luzon, Mr Sabino Czar C. Manglicmot II, PAMI’s Executive Vice President, and the member institutions’ Presidents, Deans, STOs, and Department Heads, for choosing Perpetual Biñan as the venue for this 2-day strategic programming.

We take comfort in the fact that under PAMI, our 2 maritime colleges in Las Piñas and Biñan campuses, together with the other maritime schools in our country today, are equipped with the necessary tools to cope with the policies, standards, and guidelines set by MARINA and CHED to enable Higher Maritime Education Institutions to achieve quality maritime education.

The 2019 R-NET NCR/ Southern Luzon Strategic Programming is part of that journey to generate our combined and desired output.

We are all part of this prestigious Association which is guided by our burning passion for competence and excellence in maritime education. This passion helps us build and sustain the much needed unity, pride,honor, love, and respect for the maritime profession. In its 50 years of existence, PAMI has already seen a lot of action. PAMI has been instrumental in helping maintain the Philippine position in the IMO white list, particularly compliance to the Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping for Seafarers. Indeed, PAMI has become one of the maritime schools’ lifelines whenever the going gets tough.

During the next few months, we will be learning about the different initiatives through PAMI’s planned activities, seminars, and special events where maritime schools can share their expertise, strategies, and hands on experiences.

Through PAMI, maritime schools work together as a team to help ensure that the Filipino seafarers will continue to be called the “seafarers of choice”worldwide.

Once again, welcome aboard, and thank you to all of you for coming.