Cagayan de Oro City, MISAMIS ORIENTAL – The PPA Port Management Office of Misamis Oriental/Cagayan de Oro City (PMO MO/C), together with partners and stakeholders officially opened the 23rd National Maritime Week Celebration today, 19 September 2022, with the theme, “New Technologies for Greener Shipping.” This marks the first face-to-face conduct of activities since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020.
Participating maritime agencies and stakeholders, namely, the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), Philippine Coast Guard District Northern Mindanao (PCGDNM), PNP Regional Maritime Unit (RMU 10), Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation (PSPC), Macajalar Wharf Porters’ Association (MWPA), Capitol University (CU) Maritime Students, 1001st Auxiliary Squadron (PCGA), Stella Maris – Apostleship of the Sea, Philippine Liner Shipping Association (PLSA), and Cagayan Harbor Pilots, Inc. (CHPI) were present during the opening ceremony.
Participants gathered as early as 6:30 in the morning as the celebration kicked-off with the traditional “Dressing-up of Ships”, “Blowing of Horns,” as well as the “Floral Offering at the Sea,” which was held at the dockside of the Port of Cagayan de Oro City. The Dressing-up of Ships is a symbolic display of various International Maritime Signal Flags as way of communication and to convey short messages with ships at sea. This was followed by a Eucharistic Celebration, presided by the clergy from Stella Maris.
The official opening ceremony followed right after the Holy Mass. In his welcome remarks, Port Manager Isidro V. Butaslac, Jr. expressed his gratitude to the agencies and stakeholders for their active participation and constant support, especially during the preparation for the event. “We have remained steadfast in carrying out our mandates as a maritime sector and had been able to adapt to technological advancements,” PM Butaslac said as he recognized the achievements of the maritime industry amidst the immense challenges it faced. Meanwhile, Cagayan de Oro City Councilor Atty. Roy Hilario P. Raagas delivered his inspiring message on behalf of Mayor Rolando “Klarex” A. Uy. He highlighted the importance of the maritime sector and its major role in logistics, notably trans-shipment for people and for goods. He also added that Mayor Klarex Uy and the Local Government of Cagayan de Oro will continue to support and collaborate with the maritime sector in the years to come.
The commemoration of Maritime Week is in accordance with Proclamation No. 1094 of the United States and Circular No. 1884 of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), which both seek to recognize the significant contribution of seafarers to economic development. The National Maritime Week is celebrated annually during the 2nd to the last week of September.-BCAcedera, JTIbrahim