(NEWS) MoU Extended with Philippine Coast Guard

April

2015

MoU Extended with Philippine Coast Guard

WMU Acting President, Neil Bellefontaine, and Finance Officer, Leo Viajar, visited the Philippines from 16-21 April and had the opportunity to meet with several organizations including the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), Philippine Transmarine Carriers (PTC), Magsaysay Training Center, the Maritime Academy of Asia in the Pacific, and the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC). The meeting with General Manager of the PPA, Atty. Juan Sta. Ana, was particularly promising and will likely result in students sponsored by PPA joining WMU this coming fall.

The WMU representatives also met with the Administrator of the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), Dr. Maximo Mejia, who coordinated all of the events during the visit. With 133 graduates from the Philippines, the visit was an excellent opportunity to connect with Alumni.

While in Manila, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Academic Cooperation with the Philippine Coast Guard was ceremoniously re-signed. The initial agreement was signed via correspondence in January of 2014. Acting President Bellefontaine and WMU alumnus, Admiral Rodolfo D. Isorena (M.Sc. 2002 MSEP), Commandant of the Philippine Coast Guard, signed the agreement effectively extending the previous five-year MoU for an additional 18 months. Under the MoU, WMU will accept one or more qualified candidates sponsored by the Philippine Coast Guard into the Malmö M.Sc. program on an annual basis.

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