Phl Hosts Regional Meeting on Marine Environment Protection

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The Philippines, through the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), hosted the Second High-Level Regional Meeting on Marine Environment Protection of the Southeast Asian Seas (MEPSEAS) on 27 to 29 August 2019, bringing together heads of maritime agencies from participating International Maritime Organization (IMO) Member States.

Gracing the opening ceremony, Assistant Secretary of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) for Maritime Lino H. Dabi expressed the Philippines’ collective gratitude for the honor of being the host country of said meeting.

“As one of the beneficiary countries of this project, hosting this event not only allows us to demonstrate our full commitment in and support for this project, but also provides us the opportunity to reciprocate the initiative and efforts of the IMO and the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD),” Asec. Dabi said.

As the chair of said meeting, MARINA OIC – Administrator Vice Admiral Narciso A Vingson Jr reiterated the country’s commitment to participate and comply with its obligations to the MEPSEAS Project.

“Through the Philippine maritime administration, we shall remain steadfast in our efforts in ensuring the full and effective implementation of our priority maritime environment conventions,” VADM Vingson said.

The IMO Project Coordination Unit and international consultants led the session by providing updates regarding the MEPSEAS Project website, initial steps undertaken to capacitate countries in implementing the provisions and requirement of the Conventions, results of the Train the Trainers (TTT) held in Singapore on 28 to 30 May 2019, and initial delivery of the training modules covering the Ballast Water Management (BWM) Convention, Anti-Fouling System (AFS) Convention, and MARPOL Annex V.

The MEPSEAS Project is a four-year project (2018-2021) of the IMO, in cooperation with the NORAD, providing assistance to Southeast Asian countries in ratifying and implementing IMO Instruments for the protection of the marine environment. It aims to reduce the risks and impacts of environmental issues related to maritime transport in the ASEAN region. It supports the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14 which is to “conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development”.

DOTr, Maritime Sector Hold Maritime Safety Summit for Domestic Shipping

Wazzup Pilipinas!

To identify and resolve maritime safety and marine environment protection issues and challenges, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and its attached maritime sector agencies including the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) held the Maritime Safety Summit for Domestic Shipping today, 30 August 2019.

With the theme "Creating a Culture of Safer People, Safer Ships and Cleaner Environment," the summit served as an avenue to discuss the safety of Philippine domestic shipping industry and to ensure the participation of stakeholders in identifying strategies and measures to address maritime safety challenges, and agree to support its eventual implementation.

Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said that the government cannot fully uphold maritime safety without the cooperation of private partners and stakeholders.

“I hope magkaroon 'ho ng matamis at magandang bunga itong summit na ito para sa kapakanan ng bayan, para sa kapakanan ng mga mananakay, at sa kapakanan ng mga gumagamit ng karagatan. Let safety not be a matter of convention, symposium, or fora. Safety should be a day-to-day matter of concern, a matter of attitude, and a matter of culture and advocacy.” Tugade said.

For his part, MARINA OIC - Administrator Vice Admiral Narciso A Vingson Jr emphasized that the concept of a nationally integrated and globally competitive maritime industry is the effective integration of all stakeholder policies, plans, programs, operations, and resources in terms of geographical, spatial, functional, and institutional dimensions.

“As champions of domestic shipping in the country, the whole maritime sector plays a very significant role in ensuring that people, goods and cargoes are transported safely, securely and on time, without sacrificing our marine resources in the process,” Vice Admiral Vingson said.

Vice Admiral Vingson encouraged the whole of maritime sector to talk and act together for the growth and development of our maritime industry – one that is safe, efficient and modern; one that upholds a culture of safer people, safer ships, and cleaner environment.

Maritime agencies’ contributions on maritime safety

The MARINA presented its roadmap for the enhancement of maritime safety, specifically the issues and concerns, followed by proper interventions of its "ship safety process" -- the ship acquisition, ship deployment, and the ship retirement.

Moreover, the PPA shared its “one ticketing system” that will provide convenience and benefits to the users of the port through online services and ease of doing business. Getting rid of fixers and scalpers while instituting port process improvement for maritime safety and security were also introduced.

Finally, the PCG highlighted their contributions in enhancing the maritime safety and security enforcement and protection of marine environment through fluvial parades, responses to grounding accidents, vessel safety enforcement inspections, pre-departure inspections, and calibration activity with MARINA.

Innovation That Aids locked-in Syndrome Patients Nabs Top Prize in 30th BPI-DOST Science Awards

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Jay Patrick Nieles, a BS Electronics Engineering student from the University of Santo Tomas (UST), won the coveted Project of the Year award at the 30th BPI-DOST Science Awards held last August 2, 2019, at the Alphaland City Club in Makati City.

His research on helping locked-in syndrome (LIS) patients communicate through a brain-computer typing interface that uses visual imagination of shapes and sizes was among the thirty promising entries shortlisted for this year’s competition. Nieles also received the Best in Innovation Award for the same study with Christian Badua from the University of the Philippines (UP) Manila for his study on how probiotics can be used to treat colon cancer.

The project, organized by the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) Foundation in partnership with the Department of Science and Technology (DoST), convened outstanding students from all over the country to contribute researches in line with the theme, “Moving the Nation toward Sustainable Development through Science and Innovation.”

“Through these awards, we hope to inspire more Filipino students to pursue scientific researches and innovations that contribute to building a stronger and more sustainable future for all of us,” BPI Foundation Executive Director Maricris San Diego said.

San Diego led the awarding ceremony with DOST-Science Education Institute Deputy Director Albert Mariño.

Students who participated came from eleven universities, namely the Ateneo de Manila University (AdMU), Ateneo de Davao (AdDU), De La Salle University-Manila, Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology, St. Louis University-Baguio, UP Diliman, UP Manila, UP Los Baños, University of San Carlos, University of Santo Tomas (UST) and Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan. Each participant received P10,000 and a medal.

The two entries chosen as Best in Innovation received an additional P20,000 and a trophy each, while the Project of Year Award came with an additional P25,000 and a trophy.

Aside from Nieles and Badua, Alex Retona (AdMU), Chester Tantoco (UP Los Baños), Dewey Sia (AdDU), Ryan Suplito, (UP Los Baños), Jeremie Pearl Cruz, (UP Diliman), Jody Adriene Dong-E (St. Louis University-Baguio), Marc Anthony Reyes (Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan) and Marvin Serge (Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan) made it to the Top Ten and were awarded an additional P15,000 and certificate each.

The annual research competition also featured a workshop from Asian Institute of Management (AIM) Professor Matthew Escobido and inspiring talks from Outstanding Science Alumni Awardees Dr. Leopold Ilag from Stockholm University, Dr. Luis Sison from DOST-UP Enterprise Center for Technopreneurship, and Engr. Maria Leah Flor De Castro from Ateneo de Davao University. The Outstanding Science Alumni Awards is a special category introduced this year as part of the 30th anniversary of the Science Awards.

DOST-SEI Director Dr. Josette Biyo congratulated the students and the BPI Foundation for another successful year of the Science Awards.

“The works of our young scientists and engineers are truly worthy of recognition and we’re grateful that BPI is with us in urging and inspiring students to excel in science and technology. Three decades of Science Awards is a feat and a testament to BPI’s commitment to strengthen the role of scientific research in national development. Rest assured, DOST will always be supportive of this endeavor,” Dr. Biyo said.

Photo caption:

DOUBLE VICTORY. Jay Patrick Nieles of the University of Santo Tomas (3^rd from left) bagged the Project of the Year award and one of two Best in Innovation awards in the 30^th BPI-DoST Science Awards. (From left) Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) Foundation Executive Director Maricris San Diego, Best in Innovation awardees Christian Badua of the University of the Philippines Manila and Jay Patrick Nieles, and DoST-Science Education Institute Deputy Director Albert Mariño.