Paying it forward: NMP mobilizes donation drive for MPCF

By National Maritime Polytechnic
November 25, 2020

TACLOBAN CITY – Humbled by the Super-typhoon Yolanda experience in November 2013, the National Maritime Polytechnic (NMP) rolled out a donation drive for the victims of Super-typhoon Rolly in Bicol region, particularly to the employees, staff, and students of the Mariners Polytechnic Colleges Foundation (MPCF) - Legaspi and Naga Campuses. A special committee for the said undertaking was created, chaired by the NMP Deputy Executive Director, Ms. Mayla N. Macadawan.

“It is our time now to give back to the MPCF who wholeheartedly helped NMP recover and rebuild after the onslaught of Super-typhoon Yolanda. In the spirit of unity, we need to help them, no matter how small, to reciprocate the kindness they extended to NMP during the difficult and challenging days of Yolanda, besides, no act of kindness is too small”, said NMP Executive Director Joel B. Maglunsod.

It can be recalled that on 26 November 2013, roughly eighteen (18) days after Yolanda, Commodore Dante L Jimenez, the then President and CEO of the MPCF, visited NMP and upon seeing the damages wrought by the typhoon, volunteered in mobilizing assistance from the private maritime sector including the Philippine Association of Maritime Training Center, Inc. (PAMTCI) and other maritime associations.

The MPCF deployed four (4) batches of its National Service Training Program (NSTP) cadets to NMP from December 2013 to March 2014 for the much-needed clearing and cleaning operations. Relief goods consisting of food packs and used clothing were also distributed to NMP employees, job order workers, and security guards.

NMP knows how it feels after being devastated by a super-typhoon, life was grey and dreary. However, everything had to be recovered including the broken spirits of the people affected, thus, the donation drive was pushed to convey the NMP’s heartfelt appreciation to the overwhelming support of the MPCF who laboriously helped the Agency to rise above the shackles of uncertainties brought by Yolanda.

Through the concerted efforts of the NMP management and staff, the Agency’s sole and exclusive negotiating agent, the NMP Services Association (NMPSA), and the Philippine Coast Guard - Coast Guard District Eastern Visayas (CGDEV), the relief assistance was successfully turned -over to the MPCF on 21 November 2020.

“We are very much glad and thankful for the assistance of NMP and for its effort of personally coming to our place to hand-over the heartwarming donations for the victims of Typhoon Rolly”, relayed by Ms. Ahmie Lanuzo, Community Extension Service Director of MPCF. 

NMP will forever be grateful to everyone who in one way or another helped the Agency to rise again after the devastation of Yolanda, repositioning NMP for a higher rebound in maritime training and research.