As president, I rarely have the opportunity to stand at the lectern and teach cadets directly, so I put a lot of effort into teaching the faculty. Every Tuesday morning, I meet with the team to reaffirm our vision. I also regularly invite staff to my home for meals. This is to create opportunities for deeper mutual understanding. I value teamwork and I believe in the saying, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” Thanks to my colleagues’ efforts, we have achieved many things. Although this is still a relatively new school, we ranked second out of 45 schools in the Maritime School Assessment Program. As a result, Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism recognized us as a designated maritime training institution in December 2024 under the ministry’s institute accreditation program. This means that sailors who complete the prescribed curriculum and graduate from the MMMA can obtain a Philippines maritime license and exemption from Japanese certification exams, which allows them to work on Japanese vessels.

In addition to technical skills, merchant marine officers must possess leadership qualities that foster teamwork and synergy. These qualities include vision, integrity, charisma, and competence. So that crews from diverse backgrounds can work together efficiently, it’s also important for officers to have communication skills, empathy, flexibility, and cultural understanding. Some of the specific training for this includes self-leadership in the first year. This involves setting personal goals and determining how to grow as a person. Each semester, cadets set tasks and take responsibility for carrying them out. In the second year, they engage in one-on-one leadership, where they work on leading others and helping them succeed. The third year is about team leadership, such as being a club captain to gain experience leading an organization. The cadets learn how everyone on a team can succeed. This also contributes to personal growth.

Well, eventually, I would like the MMMA to become the top maritime academy and achieve our vision of producing professionals who will lead the maritime industry in the future. Just as Ivy League schools come to mind when you think of prestigious universities, it would be wonderful if the MMMA were to become synonymous with the best maritime academy. I assume I’ll eventually hand my position over to a younger president, but until then, I want to continue investing in that generation as a mentor and a coach. I think that MMMA graduates will receive jobs at MOL, and I’d be thrilled for them to become members of the MOL family. Even during the pandemic, MOL promised unwavering support for the MMMA, so I feel encouraged by the MOL Group. I hope we can continue supporting each other as partners.