| The Philippines in an archipelago centrally located in
the Southeast Asia, with more than 7,107 islands and a very long coastline
dotted with numerous ports and harbors, where a large volume of inter island
vessels converge. It is a country of natural seafarers, thus, over the
past three decades, it has become a veritable source of skilled seafarers
for shipping countries as Panama, Liberia and Greece.
To produce competent mariners for ocean-going vessels,
the Philippines has spawned more than 100 maritime schools distributed
throughout the islands.
THE BIRTH OF MPCF
The decade of the 70’s saw the surging demand for seafarers
worldwide. Together with a group of enterprising professional, the late
Commo Jaime C. Jimenez Sr., a retired Philippine Navy officer, marine engineer
and a maritime educator founded the Mariners’ Polytechnic School in 1974
at Manila, with an initial enrollment of 35 students.
When enrollment increased the following year, Commo Jaime
C. Jimenez decided to transfer the school in the Bicol Region to help fellow
Bicolanos develop into quality seaman. From the first batch of 52 bicolano
seaman cadets, the enrollment continuously grew that paved the way for
the birth of a school campus at Baras, Canaman, Camarines Sur.
From 1980-1993, the MPCF expanded to three collegiate
sites, two colleges offering maritime or sea based courses, the Mariners’
Polytechnic Colleges Foundation (MPCF) in Canaman, and Legazpi City in
the province of Albay, site of the world famous Mayon Volcano. It is strategically
located near main water tributaries like the Pacific Ocean, Pasacao Port,
Ragay Gulf and the Bicol River. The Mariners’ Polytechnic Colleges (MPC)
located in Naga City offers land based courses.
The MARINERS’ SYSTEM was established
to facilitate administration of the school and the services it offers.
It upholds the honor code,
“DO NOT LIE, CHEAT OR
STEAL”
which embodies the virtues of the Mariners’ community
which are DISCIPLINE, competence and social
responsiveness.
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