<span lang="EN-GB">Higher education institutions conduct strategic planning to attain their goals and enhance their operations. Aiming for improved institutional efficiency, the Philippine Merchant Marine Academy (PMMA) conducted SWOT analysis to help establish an effective strategic plan. This quantitative-descriptive study, contributes to the understanding of the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) affecting the operations of PMMA as a maritime higher education institution. Using a Likert Scale survey questionnaire, the data gathered from 767 respondents revealed that deliberate changes must be made to facilitate institutional growth. The PMMA’s strengths showed that the academy is meeting its objectives and its weaknesses are primarily process driven issues that need attention. The academy’s opportunities are external essentials that provide better chances and options for midshipmen to progress through their academic and training experiences. Most of the respondents agreed that the Academy has threats related to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and other future health crisis. To face many challenges brought by the globalization and the pandemic, PMMA has to develop a strategic approach based on the SWOT Analysis leading to improved efficiency. This initiative is meant to institutionalize SWOT analysis at the PMMA and encourage the practice of SWOT analysis in other higher education sectors.</span>
The Philippines is a major provider of seafarers, with the majority of Filipino sailors serving on merchant ships all around the world. To stay competitive in the global market, most shipping companies recruit maritime students through a variety of processes and provide them with the necessary knowledge, expertise, and skills. The experience of maritime cadets/cadettes in the workplace aids them in realizing and grasping the employment needs onboard merchant vessels. This quantitative research study assessed the onboard experiences of PMMA cadets in order to improve the academy's shipboard training program and policy. A researcher-made survey questionnaire via Google form was used to gather data from the 162 First Class cadets/cadettes who were graduating midshipmen of S.Y. 2020-2021. The study found out that the cadet-trainees were exposed to technical tasks during their shipboard training. In terms of challenges onboard, they never at all experienced sexual and verbal harassment and abuse. Accordingly, they have very low experience related to civic disengagement. Inculcating high tolerance in shipboard training related to work stress and condition is one of the strengths of the PMMA Shipboard Training Program and the assignment and availability of training officers on board was noted as one of its weaknesses.
The global health crisis brought about by the COVID-19 has disrupted and negatively affected even the education sector. Strict measures and plans to curb the spread of the virus were implemented nationwide, but a sudden surge of COVID-19 positive cases at the Philippine Merchant Marine Academy was experienced. Thus, this research generally aimed to discover how PMMA responded to the surge in terms of effectivity and appropriateness. This quantitative-descriptive research used a bilingual researcher-made survey questionnaire. Through the descriptive analysis of the data gathered, the study found out that the measures implemented (e.g., adequate meals for the stay-in respondents, consultation with relevant personnel, ensuring strict compliance with health and safety protocols.) were generally highly appropriate and highly effective. Even so, some practices must be corrected to ensure the safety of cadets and employees, including strict implementation/compliance to health and safety protocols, guidelines on quarantine facilities, and allowing COVID-19 negative students to stay inside the Academy. Given these, to ensure resiliency to future and similar circumstances, it is recommended that cadets who were sent outside for important reasons must be quarantined, a permanent emergency management team be created, a work from the home scheme will be implemented, and vaccination of all employees and cadets will be worked on.
The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) underscores the value of conducting graduate employability studies in higher education institutions. On the other hand, the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) battles for the empowerment of women, notably those who are seafarers assigned to work-aboard inter-ocean ships. The study traces the employment, career path, and relevance of the curriculum and competencies learned in the academy and gender issues experienced by the 26 alumnae of the Philippine Merchant Marine Academy (PMMA) who graduated in 2013-2018. The quantitative-descriptive research design was utilized. A researcher-made questionnaire both via Google form and print-out was the main data gathering instrument. Data were analyzed using frequency, percentage, mean and Likert scale. Data shows that the female graduates are single, with an OIC license, able to land a job 1-6 months after graduation and mostly working in either an international ocean-going vessel or serving at the Philippine Coast Guard. They also perceive that they have acquired all competencies in PMMA to a great extent which become handy in their respective jobs. Further, they strongly agree that they have acquired work-related values from PMMA and that the curricula at the Academy are relevant. Unfortunately, most of them have experienced gender inequality. The findings imply that even if the alumnae were skilled and had the necessary competencies, gender inequality is still prevalent in the male-dominated industry. The incidence of inequality was mostly experienced in the assignment of tasks and finding a job.
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