Seaman's Prayer

Seaman's Prayer

Seaman's Prayer

Lord God, Creator of land and sea, bless those who work at sea.Be with them in fair weather and foul, in danger or distress.Strengthen them when weary, lift them up when down and comfort them when far from their loved ones.

In this life, bring them safely to shore and, in the life to come, welcome them to your kingdom.For Jesus Christ's sake. Amen

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Arrival Tokyo JAPAN

Arrival Tokyo JAPAN

This pictrure was taken at Tokyo

dinner at McDonald...

we had only 3,000 yen enough for one meal...

Me, Ronald Salazar and Christopher Bonagua

We landed at Narita Airport at 7:45 pm Japan time

straight to KEISEI HOTEL miramare..

the weather is about 6 degrees celcius...

My next article will be six months from now...

me inside the hotel room at about 12 in the morning we'll be embark at noon.. last time to update this blog.. See you after 6 months...

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I'll Be Gone For A While! (Michael Reyes)

I'll Be Gone For A While! (Michael Reyes)

I'll Be Gone For A While!
Be back after 6 months I HOPE!!

Happy Valentines!!!

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PMMA Vision/Mission and Philosophy

PMMA Vision/Mission and Philosophy

VISION
The Philippine Merchant Marine Academy envisions through its academic programs and quasi-military training to produce a balanced personality out of every graduate, i.e an internationally acceptable officer and gentleman who can function efficiently in their field of endeavor and contribute to the development and progress of the Filipino nation.

MISSION
To educate and train midshipmen / women to become:
Qualified and competent merchant marine officers for shipboard and shore-based positions, in response to the global requirements of the expanding international maritime industry;
Competent and capable naval officers who can serve as naval and military auxiliaries in times of war and national emergencies; and
A contributor to the improvement of maritime education and the pool of ship business managers through graduate school programs.

EDUCATION PHILOSOPHY
"...committed to a policy of providing the highest standards of maritime education and training to its Corps of Midshipmen, and to produce merchant marine officers with an assured level of quality which exceeds all national and international standards."

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The HELM 2006

The HELM 2006

EDITORIAL BOARD

Editorial Board

Rex Rabara - Editor in Chief

Rodcyn Yumang - Associate Editor (External Affair)

Almonzor Dela Pena - Associate Editor (Internal Affair)

King Egay Santos - Treasurer

Jonathan Seguritan - Auditor

Florito Beranl - P.R.O.

Jessie Klien Lumantas - Secretary

Michael Mojica - Photo Editor

Russel Salvador Oxales - Photo Editor

Gilbert Villamil - Photo Editor

Roweno Pomoy Jr. - Layout editor

Mark Angelo Moleno - Layout Editor

Michael Edison Reyes - Computer Graphic Artist

Rustico Pinili - Computer Graphic Artist

Nathaniel Villeno - Literrary editor

Neil Ian Kahano - Collecting Officer

Albert Hierco - Collecting Officer

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Philippine Merchant Marine Academy

Philippine Merchant Marine Academy

Philippine Merchant Marine Academy article from

by Eugene

One of the lesser-known industries in which Filipinos dominate globally is the seafaring industry. According to this GMA News article, the Philippines accounts for 28% of the world’s shipping crew with about 250,000 officers and crew members. In a distant second is the whole Indian subcontinent which only has 100,000 people employed in the industry. Filipinos so dominate the crew members of the world’s ships that whenever a ship or tanker anywhere capsizes or is overrun by pirates, expect that Filipinos will be affected. In addition, Filipino seafarers remit about $1 billion to the country, annually. Future projections indicate that there will be a big rise in demand for seafarers and the Philippines is trying to keep up with the demand.

Among the more than 100 schools in the country that offer degrees in B.S. Marine Transportation or B.S. Marine Engineering, it is the Philippine Merchant Marine Academy (PMMA), whose campus is located in San Narciso, Zambales, is I think the most reputable in the country. This 188-year-old institution was created by a Spanish Royal Decree on January 1, 1820 and was named the Escuela Nautica de Manila with its campus inside Intramuros in Manila. The American colonial government renamed it as the Nautical School of the Philippine Islands and then as the Philippine Nautical School before gaining its present name under Republic Act No. 3680 in 1963.

Interestingly, despite being a school that produces graduates mostly hired in the private sector, the PMMA has a military-style education reminiscent of the Philippine Military Academy. Because of this, PMMA graduates are often directly hired as ship officers in commercial vessels and are automatic reserve officers in the Philippine Navy and the Philippine Coast Guard.

But all is not well in this maritime educational institution. The biggest blow to PMMA’s reputation was when it failed the Commission on Higher Education’s 2001 accreditation of the 1995 International Convention on Seafarers’ Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW ’95) (see news article). The PMMA has since undergone efforts, with the help of the alumni association, to improve the standing of the Academy.

Photo by MPR Laurilla. (PD)

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The GALLEON

The GALLEON

The Official Publication of the Corps of Midshipmen

Invictus

OUT of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade, And yet the menace of the years Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate
I am the captain of my soul.

William Ernest Henley. 1849–1903

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The Six Greatest Ab Exercises of All-Time

The Six Greatest Ab Exercises of All-Time

Abs Exercises
The Six Greatest Ab Exercises of All-Time

Sculpt rock-hard abs with these new takes on a few old classics

Long-Arm Weighted Crunch
This abs exercise targets your upper abs. Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Hold a light dumbbell in each hand and extend your arms straight back beyond your head. Now crunch your rib cage toward your pelvis, keeping your shoulders still and your arms straight. Don't generate momentum with your arms. Perform 12 to 15 repetitions.

Seated Ab Crunch
Sit on the edge of a bench. Grip the edge of the pad and lean back slightly, extending your legs down and away and keeping your heels 4 to 6 inches off the floor. Bend your knees and slowly raise your legs toward your chest. At the same time, lean forward with your upper body, allowing your chest to approach your thighs. Return to the starting position. Perform three sets of 12 repetitions.

Corkscrew
This abs exercise targets both the lower abs and the obliques. Lie on your back, with your legs raised directly over your hips. Your knees should be slightly bent. Place your hands at your sides with the palms down. Use your lower abs to raise your hips off the floor and toward your rib cage, elevating your feet straight up. Simultaneously twist your hips to the right. Hold, then return to the starting position. Repeat, twisting to the left. Do 10 repetitions to each side.

Weighted One-Sided Crunch
This abs exercise targets both the upper abs and the obliques. Lie with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor, and hold a dumbbell with both hands by your right shoulder. Curl your torso up and rotate to the left. Lower yourself, finish the set on that side, then switch directions and repeat, holding the dumbbell next to your left shoulder. Perform three sets of eight repetitions to each side.

Kneeling Cable Crunch
Kneel facing the pulley and hold the ends of a rope attached to the high cable along the sides of your face. Bend forward, aiming your chest at your pelvis. Return to the starting position, then repeat the movement, this time aiming your chest toward your left knee. Return, then repeat to your right. That's one repetition. Perform three sets of eight repetitions.

Crunch/Side-Bend Combo
This exercise targets both the upper abs and the obliques. Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet on the floor, and hands behind your ears. Curl up so your shoulder blades are off the floor. Bend at the waist to your left, aiming your left armpit toward your left hip. Straighten, then bend to your right. Lower yourself to the starting position and repeat. Perform three sets of eight repetitions to each side.

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Call of the Sea

Call of the Sea

What magic lies beneath the sea, which takes a man from his family. What beauty lies amidst the foam, which lures a man away from home.

The call of the sea is so sweet and clear, and loud enough for all to hear; It calls them of loving deed. their dates and fortunes and luck to keep.

And off to answer the call they'll go, the reasons for his only they will know; what kind of life waits for him, when the sun o'er the water growing dim.

Upon asking the question of sailors old, here are some answers that we're told; said one, "I took life of the sea, for it meant peace and rest for me."

Another answered with misty eyes, the thought of the sea, always bring sighs; the beauty is heavenly, so calm and serene... that's the reason I joined the Merchant Marine.

But this question were asked of me, to think my answer to them would be," the sea is enchanted; it calls me from home... the music that I hear is the song of the foam.

"The water is deep, its soltitude rare, I find pleasure and place in abundance there; and if stars were in their vast above, they give more reason for the sea to love."

And now, question and answer you know why off to the sea our men go; and if I was a boy, the life for me, would be that which follows.

"THE CALL OF THE SEA."

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