TACLOBAN CITY- In line with 23rd National Maritime Week Celebration, the National Maritime Polytechnic (NMP) conducted series of lectures-symposia held at its training center in Barangay Cabalawan, this city on September 25.
The lectures-symposia was attended by 98 participants composed of NMP seafarer-trainees.
Invited resource speakers were Heidi Hosillos, Overseas Workers Welfare Officer II and Angelo Remandaban, Family Welfare Officer both from the Overseas Worker Welfare Administration (OWWA) Regional Office No. 8 who conducted on financial literacy for seafarers.
The lecture was aimed to provide guidance to seafarer-trainees in ensuring that their finances are handled and managed well.
It also intended to create awareness and appreciation to the participants on the importance of financial planning and the various savings and investment plans suggestions and ideas.
“Cut-down expenses relating to the things you want and retain expenses relating to the things you need” said Hosillos.
She also encouraged the seafarers to avail of the OWWA’s Seafarers’ Upgrading Program (SUP) which is in a form of financial assistance.
OWWA will assume the costs of training and the beneficiaries will get to choose their preferred training course that are accredited by Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA).
Likewise, in order to raise awareness among seafarers of the risks of maritime cyber-attacks and how to avoid them, NMP also included lecture on cyber security for seafarers.
Discussant was NMP’s information technology officer I Andrew Soledad.
Soledad stressed that implementing effective security measures should be considered as a priority issue considering that vessels, ports, and facilities across the global maritime community are increasingly dependent on cyber systems and in order to ensure that the systems, networks, and programs are protected from cyber-attacks, which may pose significant security, safety and financial risks to shipping and offshore operations.
Likewise, as the NMP’s Data Privacy Officer, Soledad also provided discussed salient features of the Data Privacy Act or Republic Act 10173.
Said act seeks to protect the fundamental human right of privacy, of communication while ensuring free flow of information to promote innovation and growth.
“In this digital age, the Act is necessary and important precaution to protect all forms of information, be it private, personal, or sensitive,” Soledad disclosed.
The lectures-symposia were conducted being one of the performance commitments contained in the NMP 2018 Office Performance Commitment Review (OPCR). (PR)
