A member of Master and Mates Association of the Philippines (MMAP), the state-accredited organization of ship captains and deck officers, wants the government to take a second look at how the group has screened and endorsed nominees to fill up the vacancy at the Board of Marine Deck Officers.

In a letter to the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) dated July 8, 2008, Capt. Rodolfo Estampador asked PRC chairman Leonor Rosero if all nominees to the board have been approved by the MMAP’s nomination committee made up of the group’s past presidents.

Estampador, a former president of MMAP who is not part of the group’s nomination committee, said he was only concerned about the integrity of the process of endorsement in a move to safeguard the honesty and professional competence of all the names submitted to fill up the one vacant position.

On July 2, the PRC released 10 nominees to fill up one vacant post at the board, who will be responsible for regulating the professionals.

The nominees submitted by MMAP were Walfredo C. Rivas, Cesar P. Tabangin, Hermogenes L. Bitanga, Christopher L. Castro, Felito C. Aquino, Rogelio P. Taruc Sr., Virgilio A. Patoc, Hipolito P. Yanga Jr., Romeo C. Abuyan and Joel S. Garcia.

The names were published in a newspaper as public information and for the purpose of inviting anyone who may have derogatory information against any of the persons.

“… As past president and member of the [MMAP] nominating committee, I am positive that the nomination committee has not conducted the screening and evaluation of those who aspire for nomination,” Estampador said in his letter to Rosero.

Estampador, however, did not say if he has objections to all or any of the nominees.

MMAP was established in 1975 and was recognized by the PRC on June 22, 1976, as the accredited organization of marine deck officers. The association was created to raise the standards of the marine deck officers in global competitiveness.

The group conducted its first mass oath-taking of successful examinees on July 21, 1991. It held the first Merchant Marine National Conference Workshop in 1997, which later became an annual activity of the association.

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MMAP member questions nominees

A member of Master and Mates Association of the Philippines (MMAP), the state-accredited organization of ship captains and deck officers, wants the government to take a second look at how the group has screened and endorsed nominees to fill up the vacancy at the Board of Marine Deck Officers.

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