THE OFFICIAL E BULLETIN OF
Volume 16 Issue 6 December 2020
THE YEAR-ENDER ISSUE
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Editor’s Note 15,000 Global Maritime Professionals Redeployed 18,000 Crew Safely Reunited with their
Families
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4,500 Crew Changes Facilitated
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20,000 COVID-19 Tests
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10 Years
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GMPs by HMI
Conducted on
of Moving the World in More Ways
than One and Serving Communities Nationwide
869 Students Gaining Access to Online Learning Through the PTC-CSJ Foundation
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2,300 Hours of Maritime Training Delivered 130,000 Aspiring Global Filipino Professionals Reached Through Online Job Fairs 100% Compliance
with ISO Standards
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42.74 MT Sacks of Rice Yielded from
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5 Lives Saved
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1 PTC Group Standing Stronger and More
the First Harvest of Golden Rice
Resilient for 2021
by PTC’s Global Maritime Heroes
2020.
As the world was shaken by the worst Through it all, we discovered just how capable we of times, across the PTC Group and out in the are of innovation and transformation, becoming more flexible, more creative, and more digitized frontlines, we witnessed the best of ourselves. than ever imagined. When quarantine forced us apart, we found fellowship in prayer, solace in reflection and As we forge ahead through 2021 and beyond, forged a community united in hope. Stronger we seek the light amidst the clouds and with together while six feet apart, we persevered with unabated positivity, look towards the harvest of grit and determination, from our home offices all our hard work for the communities we serve. over the city, all of us moving as one. The road ahead may be long and uncertain. As we covered our faces with masks to keep the It will test us further, push us harder. But we are virus from spreading, our resilient smiles beamed ready. We know who we are and what we are evermore brightly in the twinkle of our tired eyes. made of. And though hugs and handshakes became a no-no, we connected with our hearts, brimming #WeAreOnePTCGroup. Moving the world in more ways than one, stronger together. with compassion. Yes, we had tough times and faced challenges that were daunting. But together we persisted and found renewed strength in each other, inspired by our values, focused on our mission. We were humbled by the continued support of our principals and partners as we all remained committed to enabling the careers of our Global Maritime Professionals.
From Day 1 of the government regulated lockdown, across PTC, the company operations continued seamlessly and personnel remained dedicated to our noble GMPs and our principals. Throughout the nine months of strict Quarantine that was enforced in Metro Manila and other parts of the country, PTC remained committed to serving the Global Filipino Professional by introducing new ways of delivering its services through digital technologies and other innovations that address the challenges of the current new normals.
Through this commitment, PTC successfully redeployed over 15,000 Global Maritime Professionals across various international cargo vessels and passenger ships from May to December of this year. The Group’s professional placement arm meanwhile was able to send 128 nurses to Germany, while continuing to maintain another 300 nurses in language courses, anticipating the continued need for professional healthcare workers in Germany in the years ahead.
The PTC Group salutes all PTC Global Filipino professionals on air, land, and sea who amidst the pandemic, continue to put themselves on the line to keep the economy moving, transporting goods across borders to bring light to every home, medical care, and supplies to every patient, and food to every table. Recognizing their service and the value of their work, the PTC Group undertook the daunting yet crucial job of bringing its Global Maritime Professionals (GMPs) home safely back to the country. Coordinating efforts across the group, while working closely with the government’s Inter Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases, PTC was able to repatriate over 18,000 crew, safely reuniting them with their families.
Upon their arrival, the repatriated GMPs underwent thorough mandatory inspection supervised by the Bureau of Quarantine and given health checks by PTC’s preferred partner Health Metrics, Inc. (HMI). Arriving seafarers were then brought to their Department of Health and Bureau of Quarantine approved accommodations where they spent their quarantine period under the medical supervision of HMI and followed a productivity and wellness program prepared by PTC.
The onset of the global pandemic left ship owners and crew members alike hanging in the balance, imposing unprecedented quarantine regulations. The resulting impromptu repatriation of Filipino seafarers from all over, then made obvious and prompted the next important task: re-manning those remaining active vessels at sea to ensure that world trade remains minimally impaired. Within a fast and continuously changing work and evolving regulation environments, PTC, through its logistics operation group PTCAT, developed a Fortified Framework for Crew Change in the Manila Bay anchorage to successfully facilitate over 4,500 crew changes since the start of the pandemic. The company likewise gives credit to the Philippine government for being one of the few countries to implement the green lanes
concept to facilitate the movement, not only of Filipino maritime professionals, but also of foreign nationals. Of equal importance is the partnership between the country’s seafarer union, shipowners’ associations, and the continued efforts of the government to establish protocols for inbound and outbound movement of essential workers.
Health Metrics, Inc. (HMI), the preferred health care partner of The PTC Group, has been at the forefront of providing the best of maritime medicine and diagnostics, taking the lead in COVID testing among global maritime professionals since the start of the pandemic in March of this year.
“It is only fitting then that Health Metrics be the first maritime clinic to open a molecular lab to serve our Filipino seafarers who continue to be our heroes during this crucial time.”
HMI has provided COVID-19 testing to as many as 20,000 seafarers who have come home from overseas as well as those being deployed to ships outside the country. To accelerate their ability to provide healthcare and diagnostics with uncompromising quality and accuracy, HMI opened its own molecular laboratory in October as part of its in-house COVID-19 Testing Facility. “When the initial repatriations of Filipino seafarers started at the end of March, HMI hit the ground running. To ensure the highest standards of medical diagnostics, HMI has partnered with the Lee We were at the quarantine hotels doing International Medical Group to bring the best health checks on our returning seafarers and of South Korean rapid molecular diagnostics overseas Filipino workers, preparing quarantine technology to the Philippines. South Korea has certificates so that they could safely go home been praised for their successful COVID-19 to their families,” shared Dr. Toby Abaya, Chief epidemic preparedness and response framework Medical Officer of HMI. which the country attributes to their efficient virus detection system delivered through innovative, “When RT-PCR’s were required starting April, we high-capacity screening clinics utilizing statesprang into action and immediately contacted of-the-art equipment similar to what the HMI accredited laboratories so that we could swab at molecular laboratory is using. the airports, on board the cruise ships in Manila Bay, at the various hotels around Metro Manila and at our own clinic,” continued Dr. Abaya.
Utilizing the MicoBiomed (MBM) Veri Q PCR316, a compact point-of-care diagnostics machine that can process up to 16 tests in as fast as 25 minutes, HMI is able to significantly reduce the total processing time of test results.
Conducted at PAL’s logistics facility near the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, HMI is able to provide “drive-thru” type testing services with results given 30-45 minutes after the passenger is tested.
Its MBM Veri Q M16 meanwhile is an automated RNA/DNA extractor that can process six samples in as little as 30 minutes. With these 2 machines, HMI’s laboratory can perform and complete 300 tests within a 10-hour shift equating to over 9,000 tests in a month.
In December, HMI formally opened its first franchise of Farmacia ni Dok as part of its expanding commitment to providing quality health care for global Filipino professionals and their families by offering them convenient access to affordable generics and branded medicines, nutraceuticals, as well as personal care products.
With this capability, HMI has also been appointed as one of the official providers of COVID-19 Antigen Testing services to passengers of Philippine Airlines (PAL), the country’s official flag carrier, and its regional subsidiary PAL Express.
n i d l r o W e h t g n i v o M f 10 Years o an One and Serving h t s y a W e r Mo e d i w n o i t a N s e i t i n u m m o C
This year marked the 10th anniversary of PTC Holdings Corporation, the holdings entity for the entire PTC Group, as it continued to serve as a platform for all the units of the PTC Group to come together, work collaboratively and move the world in more ways than one. As the mother company of the entire PTC Group, PTC Holdings serves as the organization’s anchor and the driver of its vision. Committed to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs), PTC Holdings has broadened its contribution to society through a value chain of services that enable it to move the world in more ways than one. Building on its strong Shipping legacy, the Group’s footprint today encompasses Real Estate, Healthcare, Aviation, Energy and Infrastructure, International Professional Placement and now Agriculture.
Earlier in February, the organization’s corporate social responsibility arm, the PTC-CSJ Foundation, also celebrated a milestone as it marked 10 years of moving hearts into action. Addressing the Foundation’s partners and beneficiaries, PTC-CSJ Foundation Chairman and President Carla Limcaoco, on behalf of the Board, expressed her gratitude to everyone who has supported the Foundation for the past 10 years and happily informed them of the Foundation’s latest initiatives. “In celebration of our 10th year, we will support five new schools, bringing to ten our total school-partners in Muntinlupa for the Growing Good to Great Kids or 3G Program.” The partners in turn expressed their grateful messages while reaffirming their continued commitment to their shared vision with the Foundation.
To provide students with access to online learning materials, the PTC-CSJ Foundation donated 300 tablets to public elementary students in Muntinlupa City. The donation supports the DepEd’s thrust on “blended learning” which uses online and printed learning materials, as well as television and radio as means of instruction. Three hundred outstanding Grades 5 and 6 students were identified from marginalized families with no access to any gadget and have other siblings in grade school to share the tablet with. In total, 869 students from PTC-CSJ’s 10 public school-partners in Muntinlupa are benefiting from the 300 tablets. The donation was made possible through the financial support of PTC and Wallenius Marine AB.
As part of this thrust, 250 families received Christmas gift packs from the Foundation. The recipients include 167 families of underprivileged public elementary students in Muntinlupa who are also from the 10 schools supported by the Foundation’s 3G Program. Christmas gift packs were also donated by PTC in support of the Save-A-Child program by the San Antonio Village Elementary School (SAVES) in Makati. A total of 80 underprivileged families benefitted from the donation.
As the PTC Group quickly shifted to a range of digital tools to help drive work and business online, the Philippine Center for Advanced Maritime Simulation and Training, Inc. (PHILCAMSAT), the Group’s training arm, introduced its Interactive E-learning Courses that can be conveniently accessed by maritime professionals from all over the globe.
And as the Center gears up to meet the industry’s evolving demands in 2021, PHILCAMSAT forged a Joint Venture agreement with Simwave B.V. that will pave the way for a ‘new era of continuous development’ in the maritime industry at a digital signing ceremony on the 11th of December.
The partnership will provide the maritime industry with a customizable learning management The Center likewise continued to offer face to system using the Simwave Maritime Assessment face classes following strict health and safety Program. protocols including conducting COVID-19 testing for all trainees prior to the start of courses. The first of its kind, the joint venture signifies an These initiatives have allowed the Center to de- incomparable partnership, with training centres liver 2,300 hours of maritime training throughout unmatched in the countries where they operate. 2020.
Simwave, Europe’s leading independent maritime simulator centre, and PHILCAMSAT, Asia’s only European certified training centre, will jointly work on technology solutions as well as training and assessments curricula of the highest standards in order to provide a global training and assessment solution for the world’s shipping companies. The program will be available both online and onsite through accredited centres. Gerardo Borromeo, CEO of PHILCAMSAT, Inc. parent company, The PTC Group, summarized the partnership as, “This partnership between PHILCAMSAT and Simwave B.V. sets a new industry standard for training and crew competencies in Asia, better enabling us to not only meet but also anticipate the evolving demands of the maritime industry. Through this cooperation, we are further enhancing our ability to transform seafarers into global maritime professionals who move the world in more ways than one.” The PHILCAMSAT and Simwave B.V partnership is a response to the industry’s requirements for consistent standards of training and assessment
world-wide, customizable training solutions, broader access to training using information technology and the reliable means to verify the competencies of individual crew members. Marcel Kind, CEO and Founder of Simwave B.V. reinforces this, “Unique in this cooperation is that two industry leading companies join forces in order to increase and assess competencies for seafarers. By joining forces with PHILCAMSAT and the PTC Group we will boost our footprint of our in-house developed LMS, VR- solutions as well as our Simwave Assessment Program.’ The Joint Venture will create bespoke training for their valued customers as well as accredited training, like Basic Training for Polar Code and IGF Code.
Undeterred by the restrictions imposed by the quarantine, PTC Inc. (PTCI) introduced a weekly online job fair last October streamed live via the official PTC Careers Facebook page, reaching aspiring global Filipino professionals all over the country
“With our high rate of crew retention, we can assure our GMPs that they will be carefully guided through our training platforms, coached by our competent team of mentors onboard and ashore, and be empowered to achieve their goals as they sail onboard and move the world.”
“At PTC Inc., we plot the course of our Global Maritime Professionals’ (GMPs) professional growth and steer them towards a rewarding career onboard the most diverse and advanced ships owned and managed by the most respected principals and ship owners around the world,” said Mr. Ronald Macalintal, AVP for PTCI Crewing Operations.
The online career fair will be held every week and showcases employment opportunities for cargo and cruise maritime professionals as well as land-based professionals in the corporate, health care, hospitality, and aviation industries.
Attesting to the company’s commitment to the environment, continuous improvement, and business sustainability, PTC Inc. successfully passed audits conducted on the company’s Quality Management System, Environmental Management System and Business Continuity Management System throughout 2020. The audits were conducted online and resulted to Zero Non-conformities and several Positive Indications for the company. With these successful audits, PTC Inc. was granted ISO 22301:2012 certification and retained its ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015 certifications.
PHILCAMSAT likewise passed the virtual Inspection Audit conducted by the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) last November 19 on their courses on Security Awareness Training and Seafarers with Designated Security Duties, Safety Training for Personnel Providing Direct Service to Passengers in Passenger Spaces, Passenger Ship Crowd Management Training, and Passenger Ship Crisis Management & Human Behavior Training. The Center also retained their ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System following an audit conducted by DNV-GL last November 9.
The PTC Group’s commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) has broadened the organization’s contribution to society through a value chain of services that enables it to move the world in more ways than one. Aside from its strong Shipping legacy, the Group’s footprint today encompasses Real Estate, Healthcare, Aviation, Energy and Infrastructure, International Professional Placement and now Agriculture. Last October, as PTC Holdings celebrated its 10th anniversary, the organization also witnessed the first harvest of the PTC Group’s pilot rice project. A total of 42.74 MT of quality rice equivalent to 1,709 sacks (25 kg.) was harvested from 14.4 hectares of farmland.
Located in the province of Tarlac, the Golden Rice Harvest is PTC’s modest contribution to addressing not only the Philippines’ perennial rice shortage but is also meant to introduce the country’s farmer cooperators to the model of people, process and technology. Working in unison with the local farmer communities, PTC aims to help bring about a mindset and lifestyle change that will allow them to be more productive especially as the country’s population is projected to exceed 150 million by 2050.
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COSCO Malaysia rescuing four US nationals amid a tropical storm.
Lives Saved by s e o r e H e m i t i r a M l a b o l G s ’ C PT Upholding the highest level of seamanship Last September 13, the officers and crew of Seaspan’s 8500TEU container vessel COSCO Malaysia which included PTC global maritime professionals (GMP) carried out a dramatic rescue at sea. Four US nationals were on board a disabled sailing yacht, which was foundering in gale force weather conditions caused by Tropical Storm Sally. The US Coast Guard & Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) Miami requested assistance from COSCO Malaysia, which was about 24 nautical miles (NM) from the distressed yacht. COSCO Malaysia sighted the yacht at about 1NM. Approaching the yacht with skillful ship handling in the 4 meters high swell, 40 knots wind speed, while rolling moderately, the Master successfully made a lee for the yacht.
The crew of Seaspan’s COSCO Malaysia.
After tying up the boat to the ship, the rescue work commenced. All 4 persons were successfully evacuated from the yacht using the ship’s port side pilot access door. They were immediately taken to the ship’s hospital and provided medical assistance, warm clothing, and hot beverages. COSCO Malaysia then proceeded to her destination of Tampa, Florida, where all four persons safely disembarked from the vessel.
PTC likewise salutes the officers and crew of MV Angeles, managed by Marin Shipmanagement Ltd., for rescuing Stuart Bee, a 62-year-old mariner from Florida, who had been clinging to the hull of his capsized vessel for several hours in the Atlantic Ocean. Bee’s boat was spotted by 3/O Camilo Agnes on the morning of November 29, one day after he had been reported missing, about 86 miles off the coast of Port Canaveral. The MV Angeles team then proceeded to bring him safely on board where he was given first aid by 2/O Lacruiser Relativo who was also the vessel’s designated medical officer. “The success of his rescue is a team effort. And we came just in time. It was meant to be,” he said.
Upon getting Bee onboard, crew members rushed in to help, with some offering him socks and jeans. 2/O Relativo said he decided to give him his “lucky shirt,” the same one he uses for job interviews. Luck has been on his side, as he is living his childhood dream job—he has always had a passion to explore the world. “He was lucky too that in the vastness of ocean, our course crossed in the Atlantic,” added 2/O Relativo. “It was my first rescue operation in my 12 years at sea. However, it was the one story that has made an impact on me and will inspire me forever.” The other PTC GMPs who took part in the rescue operation were: 2/O Lacruiser Relativo, BSN Moises Villaceran, AB Noel Manalo, AB Jovito Soriano, OS Francis Salvacion, OS Michael Jongco, OS Caesy Luzares, and DCDT Michael Sta. Maria.
The officers and crew of MV Angeles.
Stuart Bee after being rescued from
With 3/O Lacruise Relativo.
“Entering the home stretch of 2020, let me once again express my sincere gratitude for your willingness to take on more tasks and your readiness to respond and stretch yourselves even as we are continuously challenged by rapidly emerging protocols and complications. Let us keep the faith knowing that whatever it is we have faced – these too shall pass. May we forge ahead with hope and optimism, driven by a desire to continue to move the world in more ways than one; stronger together.�
Gerardo A. Borromeo PTC CEO
d n a r e g n o r t S g Standin 1 2 0 2 r o f t n e i l i s e More R
We go the extra mile for the global Filipino professional, vour source of pride and inspiration We go the extra mile for the health and wellness of our employees, the heart and soul of our company We are faced with a challenge like no other, one that is complicated and ever-changing But our hearts, they remain unchanged: In humble service of our customer, with a commitment to safely serve the global Filipino professional From our hearts to yours, with a nod of respect We go the extra mile to safely rebuild the nation with all our hearts We are the PTC Group and our hearts remain unchanged Onward and upward as the show must go on To move the world in more ways than one.
Copyright © 2020 The PTC Group of Companies, All rights reserved.
