ILOILO CITY — Around 400 fresh maritime graduates and experienced seafarers from all over Western Visayas applied in this year’s Iloilo Paraw Regatta Foundation, Inc.’s Seafarers’ job fair on Wednesday.
Rachel Manero, media and publications co-chairperson of Iloilo Paraw Regatta Foundation, Inc., in an interview on Tuesday, said the job expo is part of the annual Iloilo and Guimaras Paraw Regatta Festival.
“Western Visayas is considered as the seafarers’ capital of the Philippines. This activity was infused with our yearly celebration to give our seafarers the opportunity to apply for maritime companies,” she said, adding that Paraw Regatta is also a celebration of Ilonggo’s maritime practice.
Jebsen Maritime, Inc. and Vega Manila Crew Management, Inc. welcomed the applicants from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in SM City Iloilo in this city’s Mandurriao district.
Jebsen Maritime Inc. was hiring chief officers, chief engineers, electricians for Bulk Carrier; tug master, chief officers, chief engineers, chief cooks for Offshore; and utility cleaner, junior waiter and waitress, snack steward, utility hotel, and laundry man for Cruise Ships.
Vega Manila Crew Management was looking for master, second officer, bosun, chief officer, and third officer vacancies for deck; and chief engineer, second engineer, fourth engineer, and filter vacancies for engine.
Manero said applicants were not only graduates of Bachelor of Science in Maritime Transportation (BSMT) and Bachelor of Science in Marine Engineering (BSMarE) but also of Bachelor of Science in Hotel and Restaurant Management (BSHRM), Bachelor of Science in Cruise Ship Management, and even Technical Education and Skills Development Authority’s (TESDA) National Certificate II (NC II) qualifiers.
The foundation partnered with the Iloilo City Government and the Public Employment Service Office (PECO) of the province.
Francisco Heler, PESO chief, in an interview, said the office had closely worked with the foundation in the job fair last 2017.
“We worked with them and we will continue to work with the foundation. We will provide our services in terms of employment facilitation and protection sustainability,” Heler said.
In 2017, Iloilo Paraw Regatta Foundation, Inc. gathered more or less 300 applicants, Manero said.
She expressed hope the job fairs in the next years will attract more companies and applicants.
“We want it to be bigger and cater not only hundreds but thousands of seafarers,” she said.
