TACLOBAN CITY– The National Maritime Polytechnic (NMP) was one of the recipients of donations of books and maps from the Philippine Librarians Association, Inc. (PLAI) during the PLAI-EVRLC turn-over ceremony held last July 12, 2014 at the St. Scholastica’s College located at Sta. Cruz St., this City. The turn-over ceremony was attended by librarians from different academic training institutions and representatives of recipient institutions of the donations from the region.
ESSU librarian Florita Cabato, outgoing president of PLAI-Eastern Visayas Regional Librarians Council (EVRLC), gave the welcome remarks, while PLAI-EVRLC president Chona B. Rama imparted a visual presentation of the affected libraries in Eastern Visayas entitled “Flashback Yolanda.” The affair was graced by PLAI national president Elizabeth Peralejo who gave an inspirational message and thereafter personally distributed maps as part of the donations.
The program closed with a message from Sr. Josefina Nepomuceno, OSB, principal of the High School Department of St. Scholastica’s College in behalf of the College President, Sr. Julia C. Yap, OSB. Atty. Forter G. Puguon, Sr., OIC executive director of the National Maritime Polytechnic personally received the maps and three (3) boxes of books and library materials from PLAI National President Beth Peralejo.
The NMP is the only government owned and run maritime training center in the country. It was established pursuant to Presidential Decree No. 1369 issued on May 1, 1978, with the mandate of providing maritime training and research that measure up to the international standards and respond to the needs of the Filipino seafarers and the maritime industry.
When super typhoon Yolanda struck last November 8, 2013, NMP was one of the government agencies which have been greatly affected, with its 17 buildings destroyed or damaged, its equipment and simulators ravaged and submerged in the sea surge, and its library containing expensive maritime books, videotels and various technical materials destroyed or heavily damaged.
This outreach project was undertaken under the corporate social responsibility of PLAI, in coordination with the PLAI-Eastern Visayas Librarians Council. It was launched with the theme “One Million and Counting: Books for Libraries, Victims of Calamities,” to assist and help the libraries and librarians of Eastern Visayas rise up again after the destruction brought about by the supertyphoon Yolanda.
The donation was made possible through their strong linkages and partnerships with the National Library of the Philippines (NLP), Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP), United Nation’s World Bank and the Philippine Army. They also had the strong support of other PLAI regional councils in the country.
At the close of the turn-over ceremony, Atty. Puguon, in behalf of the Board of Trustees chaired by DOLE Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz and the Undersecretary Rey de luz Conferido, head of the DOLE Employment Facilitation and Manpower Development Cluster to which NMP belongs, and of the officers and employees of NMP, personally expressed his sincerest gratitude to PLAI National President Beth Peralejo and PLAI-EVLC Regional President Chona B. Rama for including NMP among the recipients of the maps and book donations. He said the donations will be a big help in NMP’s urgent efforts to rebuild its library.(PR)
