Witted Light
Ladies and Gentlemen, I am proud to present to you our very own Mariners’ Polytechnic Colleges Foundation in its 25th year of imparting quality education in both maritime and non-maritime related fields. Yes, you read it right, two and a half decades of service that we students must be proud of being part of this momentous event in the history of our beloved Alma Mater as she turns silver, symbolizing her evolution. As we are now in the vortex of its success, savoring the deluxe and easing up the students learning through the installations of all the modern and state of the art laboratories, well furnished classrooms that are home to more than 2700 students, strongly built buildings and establishments with effulgent floors and an auxiliary extension for the training ground of our cadets, have we ever imagined how MPCF-LC had looked like in its early years? Have we ever pondered of how primitive life was back then and how our earliest batch lived with nothing but sheer guts and dedication just to graduate?
Now let’s relive every moment as we reminisce the history of this prestigious institution and know how remarkably inspirational the story of MPCF is…
In the midst of intensifying competitions of maritime schools, accompanied by minor setbacks of Mariners’ Polytechnic Colleges (MPC) that time, a maritime institution in Albay was born and established by its late founder’s veritable ambition and zealous efforts. Commo. Jaime C. Jimenez Sr. PCGA founded MPCF-LC on August 4, 1985 ( which happens to be the birth date of his son Commo. Dante La. Jimenez) with his ambition of sharing his naval expertise to those who are equally ambitious young men who would like to venture in the maritime industry. His passion and dedication to meet the demands of the maritime commerce by filling it with highly competent manpower triggered his love for the Bicolanos.
Humble Beginnings of a Relentless Dream
With all the cognizable uncertainties, doubts and competitions amidst, our brave founder was not desponded because of his strong desire to be of service to the Albayanos. With his effrontery prevailing over the impending hindrances, MPCF-LC was set into motion just like the two preceding campuses in Naga City (formerly MPC) and Canaman were started. Although relatively smaller compared to other established institutions that time, and only with classrooms made of nipa huts and very light materials, few personnel, an undersized library which contained priceless maritime and naval books donated by friends and from Engr. Jimenez’s collection, MPCF-LC started its sphere of quality education. But, because our institution was still a neophyte in her field, predicaments do come her way. Many people had questioned the existence of this institution up until now. Some dogmatic personalities even abased its capability in producing students academically fit for international employment, but all ridicules and malice were disproven. In 1987, its 1st batch of Marine Engineers was recorded in the history. Almost all of the 68 graduates were set for global employment; benchmarking the birth of MPCF-LC as a premiere maritime institution in the making. One year after, Associate in Marine Transportation was added, having its first batch of graduates in 1990 following the 1st ever graduates of B.S. in Customs Administration. Like in Associate in Marine Engineering, almost all of Marine Transportation graduates put out an impressive performance in the maritime industry.
A Noble Man’s End
The school at that time was in a complacent mood with everything falling into plan, never anticipating that the next page in the episode would be a tragic loss for MPCF. In March 20, 1991, 6 years after it was established, while delivering a speech for Batch 1991 Ring-Hop Ceremony, the founder had a severe heart-attack and was rushed to the hospital where he was declared dead. Wallowing in grief, the school along with its students and personnel found new strength in the image of Dr. Gabriel Jimenez, one of the equally ambitious sons of the late Commo. Jaime C. Jimenez Sr. As the new President, he revived the vivaciousness of the MPCF-LC community.
Rising from the Ashes
Continuing his father’s legacy, the school had been renewed curtailing the melancholic passing away of the former President. During his time, Mariners’ had documented its greatest success with the number of enrollees that resulted to the insufficiency of classrooms to accommodate all the students. Mrs. Cynthia A. Duka, our SPS director, even remembered the Basic in Merchant Marine Course (BMMC, now SRC) department reaching to a figure of 17 sections with at least 50 students in each. Other instructors would recall how they used to hold classes in the sandy floors of the coastal beach of Rawis, Legazpi City. But the peak for MPCF has nowhere to go except down thus gradually suffering from a slight decrease in its enrollees.
However, our valiant school had refused to go down in abeyance having surpassed all the problems that had risen. As time passes by, MPCF-LC is making her own name in the field of Maritime industry, and is renowned as a constant producer of highly competent seafarers. This was also the time where a lot of changes in the system were experienced. Acquisition of more equipment began and more courses were added like the Bachelor of Science in Hotel and Restaurant Management, and the Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management while the old courses were upgraded from 2 year academic program to 4 years bachelors degree. So the former Associate in Marine Engineering and Associate in Marine Transportation became Bachelor of Science in Marine Engineering and B.S. in Marine Transportation respectively. Little by little, expansion had began and in 2002, after 10 years of service by Dr. Gabriel Jimenez, a change in administration happened when Commo. Dante La. Jimenez PCGA took over. Like his brother, our current President never failed his father as he was entrusted to take care of the precious MPCF-LC. But again, another horrifying incident had stirred and delivered our institution to another test.
In November of 2006, who could forget the cataclysmic devastation of Super-typhoon Reming where thousands of people were left dead, and billions of pesos worth of properties and establishments including our own school were severely damaged? The violent rampage of the typhoon had put this institution to a verge of distress, where as if it has to start all over again. All the 21 years of struggles for development were wasted and turned into a pile of trash waiting to be recycled and restored again. Despite all that had happened, the MPCF miraculously bounced back from this woeful experience. Through the efforts of President Dante La. Jimenez and his administration and with the divine intervention of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, the rebuilding, reconfiguring and reconstructing of damaged buildings and equipment were imminent. And after a long run of restoration, here we are now, feeling the distinctive quality of hard-earned improvements.
Mariners’ Now
Today, Mariners’ Polytechnic Colleges Foundation has undeniably recovered from its past woes as reflected by its development in terms of expanded establishments and advancement in highly-technological laboratories and equipment. More highly competent graduates have been added to the long list of board passers and topnotchers, thus congealing the sublime status and the vastly dignified reputation of MPCF-LC. Over the years, the school has already produced 30 Master Mariners, 22 Chief Engineers, a number of Deck and Engine Officers and also a multitude of Custom Brokers and Hospitality Industry professionals. Proven by the accreditation of a widely known French accrediting body, the Societe General du Surveilance (SGS), several government affiliations in the Philippines, and linkages of more than 30 international and domestic sea-based and some 15 land-based companies, no one could ever doubt that this dream will come true for at the helm was Commo. Jaime C. Jimenez Sr.
