Pinoy seafarers take anti-piracy training in US

Filipino seafarers recently participated in a pilot training course against maritime piracy in the United States. The Philippine Embassy in Washington D.C. said the one-week course was conducted by the US Maritime Administration ended last October 21. "In attendance from the Philippines were Capt. Abelardo Pacheco, Capt. Pancracio Alfonso (Ret.) of the Maritime Academy of Asia and the Pacific (MAAP) and Cadet Joseph Navasero also of MAAP," a news release of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said. The embassy said a cross-training program will be conducted in the Philippines in 2012 in cooperation with the Department of Labor and Employment-Maritime Training Council (DOLE-MTC). Philippine ambassador Jose Cuisia Jr. said this was an "important first step in implementing the Memorandum of Cooperation on Maritime Counter-Piracy Training and Education." He also said the memorandum of cooperation "forms part of the strategic bilateral initiative aimed at developing an efficient and safe maritime transport industry." He added that the Philippines is one with the global maritime community in condemning the atrocities of sea pirates and their senseless disregard for human lives and properties. For his part, US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood underscored the purpose of the one-week pilot training course is "to build relationships, share ideas and experiences, and take action against the growing threat of piracy." LaHood also gave a plaque of recognition to Pacheco, captain of the MT ""Stolt Strength" which was captured by Somali pirates from November 10, 2008 to April 21, 2009, for his "tireless work against piracy." US Maritime Administrator David Matsuda said the pilot exchange "is just one of the ways the Maritime Administration is working to address the piracy issue." "As much as piracy is an economic issue, our first focus musts always be on the people and families it (a)ffects...we need to ensure that each and every one of our maritime professionals has the tools and training they need to handle emergency situations," he said. Draft resolution Meanwhile, a draft resolution will be circulated to all maritime industry stakeholders following the pilot training course and on the roundtable organized by the US MARAD. The draft resolution aims to establish a mechanism through which governments, seafarer training institutions, industry, and international organizations can pursue cooperative efforts in addressing piracy. - VVP, GMA News