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4/2019 Volume 15 Issue 3

Committed to develop the next generation of world-class Filipino aviation professionals, First Aviation Academy (FAA) opened its doors to aspiring pilots last March 21, 2019, at the Subic International Airport in Northern Luzon. The Academy is a joint venture between MacroAsia Corporation and the PTC Group, both leaders in their respective industries, covering a broad platform of quality aviation and maritime support services, locally and internationally.FAA takes pride in being at the forefront of professional development for the airline industry, propelled by a comprehensive curriculum, experienced instructors and state-of-the-art equipment and facilities to produce airline-ready aviation professionals primed for flight operations.

Two main features that set FAA apart from other aviation schools in the country are its fleet of brand-new Tecnam planes with Garmin G-1000 full glass cockpit electronic instrumentation and the Redbird MCX and TD2 G-1000 simulators. Such a training platform will enable students to develop the skill sets necessary to excel in the international aviation space.

Through its intensive 12-month training program, graduates from the academy will have completed a Private Pilot License (PPL), Instrument Rating (IR), Multi-Engine Rating (MER), Commercial Pilot License (CPL) and Airline Transport Pilot License (ATPL) Theory. Top graduates will also have a chance to become a Flight Instructor, providing a unique way to build up their flying hours, while honing their instructor skills.

With the worldwide demand for pilots growing year on year, FAA is cleared for take-off and is set to “fly high to move the world.”

PTC & MacroAsia Launch ‘First Aviation Academy’ in Subic

Carla Limcaoco Honored with Sweden’s Royal Order of the Polar StarPTC is proud to announce the awarding of PTCH Director Carla S. Limcaoco with the Royal Order of the Polar Star, rank of Commander, by the Swedish government. The Royal Order of the Polar Star is a Swedish Order of Chivalry granted to foreigners and members of the Swedish Royal Family for exemplary service to the Kingdom of Sweden. Ms. Limcaoco was previously honored with the Knight of the Royal Order of the Polar Star in 2015.

The award was presented by Ambassador Harald Fries of the Embassy of Sweden in Manila at a gathering of the Philippine Consular Corps last March 27, 2019.

The distinction was conferred by King Carl XVI Gustaf of the Kingdom of Sweden in recognition of her exemplary service to Sweden and her dedicated commitment to the promotion of Swedish interests in the Philippines. Ms. Limcaoco served as Honorary Consul-General of Sweden to the Philippines from 2008 to March of this year.

CTI Reaps Industry AccoladesConstellation Travels, Inc. (CTI) continues to prove its leadership in the Philippine travel sector as it opened the year with accolades from the industry’s biggest names. Consistently recognized as one of Philippine Airlines’ top producers, CTI ended 2018 as PAL’s 5th Top Agent - up from the previous year’s 8th place. In recognition of this achievement, CTI was honored with PAL’s Elite Gold International Award during ceremonies held last March 15 at the Clark Marriott Hotel. Last year, CTI was a recipient of the PAL Gold Award.

CTI was likewise recognized with the 2018 Top Agent Award by Asiana Airlines, one of South Korea’s leading airlines, for CTI’s outstanding sales performance in the past year. The award was received by CTI’s Head of Operations Marnic Adriano last February 14 at the Milky Way Café in Makati. Earlier this year, CTI was awarded with the Top Agent Award by Sabre, the world’s leading provider of travel solutions, in recognition of the high volume of bookings that CTI has made through the Sabre Global Distribution System. The awarding ceremony was held last January 30 at the Rizal Park Hotel in Manila.

PHILCAMSAT Receives Center Accreditation from MNTB The Philippine Center for Advanced Maritime Simulation and Training, Inc. (PHILCAMSAT), is proud to announce that it has received Center Accreditation from the United Kingdom’s Merchant Navy Training Board (MNTB). The Center has enjoyed MNTB recognition since 2016 for its Human Element Leadership and Management (HELM) program, but the Center Accreditation will now cover all courses offered by PHILCAMSAT. This marks the first time that a training center in Asia has been recognized by the shipping industry’s central body for promoting and developing sector-specific education, training and skills.

(From L-R) Mr. Gerardo Borromeo, FAA Director; Ms. Wilma Eisma, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority Chairperson and Administrator; Ambassador Carlos C. Salinas, PTC Chairman Emeritus; Ambassador Sung Kim of the Embassy of the United States of America; Mr. Jaime Bautista, Philippine Airlines President; Mr. Joseph Chua, MacroAsia President and FAA Chairman; and ASEC Juvy Manwong of the Department of Transportation led the ribbon-cutting ceremony during the launch and blessing of FAA.

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LifeLinks Opens German Language Training in CebuTLifeLinks International Resources, in partnership with Alfa Personnel Care GmbH, has officially commenced its free German language training program for nurses in Cebu starting with an orientation held last February 11. The training program was initially introduced at the Lifelinks’ Makati head office where several batches of nurses have now undergone the language course and have successfully been deployed to Germany. To take part in the program, interested parties may visit www.facebook.com/LifeLinksPH for more details.

PTC Welcomes Sen. Sonny AngaraSenator Sonny Angara visited First Maritime Place last March 19 to meet with Ambassador Carlos C. Salinas and executives of the PTC Group. The Senator was given a tour of PHILCAMSAT and the Center’s simulation facilities.

Developing a Culture of Service Excellence & Continuous Improvement PTC’s crewing offices were honored by the PTC Crewing Quality Assurance Department through a simple awarding ceremony last February 20 at the Legaspi Room of First Maritime Place. The recognition was given following the results of the 2018 Principal Survey conducted during the first quarter of the year which aims to effectively measure customer satisfaction and identify opportunities for enhanced cooperation and synergy. Recognized during the ceremony were the crewing offices of Eletson, Marin, Croisimer and Suisse Atlantique who garnered the highest survey results.

MIT GO-Lab Students Collaborate with PHILCAMSATA team of Executive MBA students from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) visited the First Maritime Place from March 18 to 22 to collaborate with executives of the Philippine Center for Advanced Maritime Simulation and Training, Inc. (PHILCAMSAT) as part of their GO-Lab Field Study project.

Members of the MIT Sloan GO-Lab team were Andrea Conley, Director and biotechnology expert at Sanofi Genzyme; Dr. Sajani Shah, Chief of Minimally Invasive Surgery and Bariatric Surgery at Tufts Medical Center; Seth Metzger, VP of Dana Incorporated; Stephanie Tang, Senior Director of Ironwood Pharmaceuticals; Thomas Nittmann, Managing Partner at Lola Visual Effects; and Dr. Mohammad Ali Aziz-Sultan, Director of the Harvard Medical School.

GO-Lab is an action learning program from MIT that offers executive MBAs a unique opportunity to study real organizations and operations for maximum impact. To date, over 80 organizations world-wide have leveraged GO-Lab teams for focused and objective analyses of their strategic organizational challenges and opportunities.

PTC Holds Mentorship Session for GMPs and AllotteesAs part of the company’s commitment to help create sustainable opportunities for Global Maritime Professionals (GMP) and their families, PTC’s Family and Crew Relations (FCR) organized an Entrepreneurial & Financial Wellness Seminar last March 23 at the Legaspi Room of First Maritime Place. The activity is part of the ongoing Entrepreneurial Mentorship Program launched by PTC last year in partnership with Go Negosyo. At the seminar, the participating GMPs and allottees were welcomed by FCR Manager Normie Hernandez and given an introduction to the program by Go Negosyo Program Officer Patrick Tiongson. The rest of the morning was devoted to a discussion on how to achieve financial wellbeing, courtesy of Go Negosyo Angelpreneur Armand Q. Bengco, Executive Director of the Colayco Foundation, and an advocate of Financial Literacy and Entrepreneurship especially among Overseas Filipino Workers. One-on-one mentorship sessions were also conducted among GMP entrepreneurs and those planning to establish their own business. PTC GMPs who wish to participate in the PTC Go Negosyo Mentorship Program may visit www.facebook.com/PTCFCR for details on how to sign up.

PTC Launches 4th Seafarer Awards The search for PTC’s outstanding Global Maritime Professionals (GMP) has once again begun with the call for nominations for the 2019 PTC Seafarer Awards. PTC seafarers of all ranks who embody the outstanding qualities of a Filipino global maritime professional may be nominated in four categories, namely: Outstanding Performance, Bravery and Heroism, Financial Management, Ambassadorship and Community Service. Nominations may be submitted through the Awards Secretariat at the Marketing Communications Department, 8F, First Maritime Place or via email at seafarerawards@ptc.com.ph.

The PTC Seafarer Awards aim to honor the exemplary achievements and contributions of Filipino seafarers not only to the maritime industry, but more importantly, to the greater community and to the country.

PTC Conducts Nationwide Life Skills Seminars for GMPs & Allottees PTC’s Family and Crew Relations Group visited PTC Global Maritime Professionals (GMP) and their families across the country last March to spread the word on proper financial management and wise business planning in their “Everything Counts” Life Skills lecture series. The seminars were conducted in Makati (March 9), Cebu (March 13), Laguna (March 23), Iloilo (March 29) and Cavite (March 30) and were attended by GMPs and allottees who were also updated on the latest developments at PTC and in the maritime industry.

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PTC Caps Nationwide Film Roadshow in Iloilo The PTC-CSJ Foundation capped its nationwide environmental advocacy film roadshow themed “#HindiAkoPlastic: A Collaboration on Sustainability” through its final leg of screenings held at the St. Therese-MTC Colleges (ST-MTCC) last March 1 and 2 in Iloilo. The roadshow, featuring the award-winning documentary “A Plastic Ocean” by journalist Craig Leeson, is a call for the young maritime community to face the pressing reality of global plastic pollution and to acknowledge their overarching responsibility as future seafarers and caretakers of our oceans.

The Foundation, along with its partners from the Embassy of Sweden in Manila, PTC, Philippine Center for Advanced Maritime Simulation and Training, Inc. (PHILCAMSAT), Swedish Institute, Business & Professional Women (BPW) Makati and Plastic Oceans Foundation, surpassed its target of reaching 3,000 maritime students by over a thousand. A total of 27 screenings have been conducted since its launch last October 2017 at the Mapua-PTC College of Maritime Education and Training (CMET) in Malayan Colleges Laguna. #HindiAkoPlastic has truly sparked ecological consciousness among students in various maritime and non-maritime universities located in Laguna, Cebu City, Manila, Iloilo and Albay.

Seaspan Holds Family Health & Wellness Seminar Committed to the overall well-being not only of their officers and crew, but of their families as well, Seaspan Ship Management conducted a “Family Health & Wellness Seminar” last March 29 at the Legaspi Room of First Maritime Place. The seminar was opened by Capt. Richard Ash, Regional Crewing Representative of Seaspan, followed by Mr. Bien Carlo Galapon, Head of the “Kumusta Kabaro” Program of GOLD Foundation, who gave a Mental Health Talk on Anxiety and Depression. Ms. Kristine Marcelo, CEO of Ignite Empower Flourish, Inc., helped educate attendees on how to get the right value for their resources and proper financial management. A discussion on contract and government related benefits was facilitated by Gina Amoyo of PTC’s Family & Crew Relations with the help of Seaspan Fleet Manager Andre Toribio who also delivered the closing remarks.

PTC Conducts Annual Fire Drill The PTC Group conducted its annual Fire, Earthquake & Emergency Evacuation Drill last March 19 with the participation of employees from PTC Group offices at First Maritime Place as well as, employees from LifeLinks, PTCAT, Health Metrics, Constellation Travels, ACM Landholdings, and Northern Star Energy. A hands-on training on the use of the fire hose and extinguisher for members of the PTC Emergency Brigade followed on March 23 at the Makati City Central Fire Station grounds.

John T. Essberger and TOS Hold SSHEQ Seminar TJohn T. Essberger (JTE) and Transocean Shipmanagement (TOS) conducted their periodic Safety, Security, Health, Environment and Quality (SSHEQ) Seminar for officers and crew last March 25 to 27 at the Pan Pacific Hotel in Manila. The conference was opened by Mr. Björn Borbe, Senior Manager HR Sea, Essberger Crewing Services GmbH, who updated participants on crewing developments concerning STCW, MLC 2006 and mental health. Green Jakobsen facilitated workshops on Fatigue Management & Assertive Behavior and Social Media Awareness while PHILCAMSAT’s Alfredo Haboc discussed the ISO 14000 Standards as well as Port State Control matters. Long standing officers and crew were honored with Loyalty Awards.

Inspiring Young Minds Through Maritime “To pursue excellence with a passion.” This was the message of IMO Maritime Ambassador Carlos C. Salinas to the Grade 11 students of the Sisters of Mary (SOM) School in Silang, Cavite during their visit to PTC for an educational tour last March 28. “You are all very young, so whatever you will do in college and in the future, do it with a passion,” said the Ambassador as he addressed the aspiring maritime professionals at the Legaspi Room of First Maritime Place. “Whether it is a difficult task or just a simple job, have the commitment and passion to do it and excel in it. Take everything seriously.”

As a Maritime Ambassador of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), Ambassador Salinas endeavors to enhance the image of shipping and lead the youth towards unique opportunities that will allow them to explore the seas and move the world through the seafaring profession and other relevant maritime career paths. “While it is the school’s responsibility to mold you holistically, not only with academic knowledge but with skills, and the right values and attitudes,” the Ambassador continued, “it is my aspiration that you will pursue a passion for excellence at all times and take to heart the conviction that good enough is never good enough.”

PHILCAMSAT Director for Business Operations and Development Head Roy Akker also spoke to the students and shared that like them, he was once a young boy who dreamt of sailing the seas back in the Netherlands. He encouraged them to continue persevering with their studies so that one day, they too, will be exploring the world as maritime professionals. The students were then given a tour of the simulation facilities of PHILCAMSAT by Training Manager Capt. Fidel Ojera before enjoying a hearty lunch with the Ambassador and other representatives of PTC.

PTC employees gave the gift of blood to their fellow Filipinos in need as they participated in the company’s blood donation drive organized in cooperation with the Philippine Red Cross last March 26. A total of 47 employees registered for the activity with 32 volunteers successfully being cleared to donate blood.

Members of the Commercial Section of the US Embassy – Ms. Diane Jones, Commercial Counselor, and Ms. Bebe Montesines, Commercial Specialist, visited First Maritime Place last March 19 to meet with executives of the PTC Group and take a tour of the training facilities of PHILCAMSAT.

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