Macao Team Building

Recently, MaCAO, the student organization of the Bachelor of Science in Customs Administration conducted a TEAM BUILDING Activity that was held last October 2-3, 2014 at the Viento De Mar Resort in Sogod, Bacacay, Albay.

The purpose for the occasion was to strengthen the camaraderie, unity and social responsibility of the students under the department. Its activities were centered on the loyalty, discipline and attitude through games wherein each team has to compete to attain the objectives of the activities.

The occasion was participated by the whole BSCA Department students who were under the supervision and control of the MaCAO Adviser/Asst. Department Head, Mr. Angelo E. Miranda assisted by the Discipline Officer, Mr. Gereon Gregorio, Engr. Josepg Bornilla, the Physical Education Coordinator, Ms. Agnes E. Nacion and one the college instructors under her department Mr. Ryan Ebuenga and Atty. Tin Saribong the legal Officer of MPCF-LC who at the same time is also one of the instructors of the BSCA Department.

Midn Paul John Auditor, the Junior Commissioner of MaCAO spearheaded the occasion together with his student officers who acted as facilitators during the activity. The student officers of the organization were thankful to Commodore Dante La Jimenez, Mariners’ – Legazpi City President for allowing the students to undertake the activity outside the school campus and were also grateful to the support of the Dean of Business Education, Mrs. Cynthia A. Duka and the Vice-President for Academic Affairs, Mr. Conrado L. Cordero. Though there were minor setbacks during the occasion, the Team building was a successful program.

MPCF-Legazpi contingents make mark in 2014 Peñafrancia Parade Contest

The Mariners-Legazpi Band & Majorettes as they compete in the streets of Naga City during the Military Parade Contest at the 2014 Peñafrancia Festival.

Naga City – The Mariners Polytechnic Colleges Foundation (MPCF) Legazpi contingent to the 2014 Peñafrancia Festival Military parade competition consisting of the Band and Majorettes and a battalion of Coast Guard Auxiliary-Officer Training Corps (CGA-OTC) cadets made their mark as they competed with groups representing various schools from the Bicol Region.

In the official results, it got the 2nd Place in the ROTC/WATC combined Best Marching Unit, 3rd Place in the Most Disciplined ROTC category, 5th Place in the Marching Band category B and 3rd Place in the Majorettes category B competition.

These standings are significant taking into consideration there are more than fifty to a hundred entries in every category of the contest.

The MPCF Legazpi Band and Majorettes wowed the spectators during the Festival with the unique uniform they wore and the showmanship they performed before the thousands of devotees and tourists who flocked to Naga City for this annual event of the Peñafrancia Festival.

To land prominently in the ranking of the competition is not new to the Mariners-Legazpi group as they have garnered honors in celebrations they have participated in the past years.

Meanwhile, MPCF-Legazpi CGA-OTC Commandant Captain Steven James Diño observed that aside from discipline, included in the factors which contributed to the factor of victory is the support of the administration and the right attitude of the cadets whose determination spelled the difference.

“It is a tripartite effort consisting of the student-participants, the trainers or the mentors and the school administration. The concerted effort of the three spelled victory as it is no joke to land in the first five of each category with almost a hundred contingents competing for every category”, said Commandant Captain Diño.


MPCF-Legazpi school officials lend moral support to the competing contingents by their physical presence at the reviewing stand led by President Dante La. Jimenez (extreme left), BOT Member Dr. Marilissa J. Ampuan (2nd from Left) and CGA-OTC Commandant Captain Steven James Diño (4th from left) and other members of the faculty and staff.


The Corps Commander and Staff of MPCF-Legazpi CGA-OTC Unit as they prepare to pass the reviewing stand at Plaza Quezon in Naga City during the 2014 Military Parade competition.

“What is important here are the values learned by the cadets in which they get the honors thru honest hard work, discipline and the resolve to make the difference”, added Captain Diño of the CGA-OTC Unit of Mariners Legazpi.

Mariners Legazpi hosts 1st Bicol Power Summit; moves for concrete, long lasting solutions to electricity problems

(Left picture) Summit Lead Convenor and CRoW Founding Chairman Dante La. Jimenez opens the forum and sets the mood of the conference as he delivers the welcome remarks. On the head table are the forum Speakers. (Right picture) The participants which include (front row – right to left) Former Albay Vice Governor James Calisin, Metro Naga Power Commission Chairman Melvin del Puerto, CRoW-Bicol Lawyer Atty. Ernesto Nocos and representatives coming from the different sectors including officials of Electric Cooperatives from other Bicol provinces.

Legazpi City, Albay – The Mariners Polytechnic Colleges Foundation (MPCF) this city hosted the 1st Bicol Power Summit on September 26, 2014 held at the Annex campus of the school. Organizations consisting of established groups advocating reforms for better electricity service in the province and the Region led by the Consumers Rights Watch (CRoW)-Bicol spearheaded this initiative. It targeted the mapping-out a solid future for the local electricity service provided to consumers and to mitigate the adverse effects of a looming electricity crisis expected to come in the middle of next year or earlier, as announced by government thru the Department of Energy (DOE).

Prior to the Summit, reputable organizations from the province of Albay and other parts of the Bicol Region led by known and respected personalities in the community have bonded together under the umbrella of the United Front Against ALECO Privatization (UFAAP). This is a sunshade aggrupation with the purpose of coming-up with a united action and to move towards one direction in addressing power concerns which have been pestering energy consumers for the past years, particularly in the province of Albay.

The event which carried the theme ‘Bridging the Power Requirement of the Future, Today’, featured power Speakers from the electricity sector both locally and from the national level.

It can be recalled that after the Albay Electric Cooperative (ALECO) has incurred almost Four Billion Pesos debt from power suppliers, the misery of electricity clients started which continues up to today. Consumers smell mismanagement and corruption as among the root cause, coupled with the problem on politicians who meddle in the affairs of the local energy firm; this resulted in the mess happening now at ALECO. It has never recovered ever since.


The Summit Speakers (left to right) NASECORE Chairman Pete Ilagan, Bicol Electric Cooperative Association President and SORECO II General Manager Atty. Percival Alvarez and Albay Power and Energy Corporation (APEC) General Manager Manuel Imperial.

The Forum envisioned to come-up with doable solutions in a manner which can be supported by all electricity stakeholders who can work together in harmony. It sought solid solutions to existing problems that can offer concrete, long lasting relief that are sustainable and can go beyond the present concerns besetting the local power establishment.

Included in the topics taken-up were ‘The Problems Affecting Electric Cooperatives Today, The Magna Carta on Electicity Consumers’ Rights, the Status of Power Restoration of APEC in Albay and Problems Incurred, Bicol Power Requirement/People’s Initiative and other relevant subjects explained and elaborated by the experts.

The Summit Power Speakers were Mr. Pete Ilagan, Chairman of the National Association of Electricity Consumers for Reforms (NASECORE), Atty. Percival Alvarez, President of Bicol Electric Cooperatives Association (BECA), Mr. Manuel Imperial, General Manager of Albay Power and Eneregy Corporation (APEC), Engr. Mel Romano of JRRC and other invited speakers who shed light on how the local power firm can serve efficiently the energy requirements of consumers.

In the forefront of this initiative are organizations such as the Consumers Rights Watch (CRoW) Bicol, Albay Multi-Sectoral Stakeholders Association (AMSSO), JRRC, ALEO, Karapatan, Bayan Muna, Bicol Autonomy Movement (BAM), Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) Bicol Chapter and other groups which have affiliated with the UFAAP.

At the end of the workshop, participants presented resolutions which will be made as basis in mapping-out the next moves of UFAAP. It has been envisioned by the groups that by putting-up a united front pushing for the same goal to be attained, it is not far-fetched that the aims would be accomplished in due time as the advocacy becomes stronger with all the groups now moving as one.

Representatives from different sectors participated in the summit such as officials from Electric Cooperatives of the Bicol provinces, government agencies, LGU’s, private organizations, students, the academe and the religious sector.


Summit Lead Convenor Dante La. Jimenez explains before the participants the concept of People’s Initiative. In the audience are members of the academe, students and Bicol District Director of the Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary (PCGA) Commodore Efren Rodriguez (right side, front row – center).

“We at CRoW-Bicol believe that with this concerted effort of well-meaning organizations and with respected names behind the move, together, the problems can be solved expeditiously especially after the unity move has been forged”, declared Toy Reynoso, President of Consumers Rights Watch in Albay.