Maritime Academy of Asia and the Pacific

Maritime Academy of Asia and the Pacific (MAAP) entered the maritime school industry only on January 14, 1998. Too late compared to its competitors in the industry, yet it can boast of being one of the respected maritime schools in the country today. Why?

MAAP’s origin can be rooted to the creation of Associated Marine Officers' Union of the Philippines (AMOUP) for the protection of officers working on board commercial ships by Capt. Gregorio S. Oca who was moved by the unjust working conditions of the Filipino Seafarers in the 1960. This group transformed into Associated Marine Officers and Seamen's Union of the Philippines (AMOSUP) in 1972. But it was only more than a decade ago that the association capitalized and developed the academy seeing the need to breed merchant marine deck and engine officers in the world from our country.

Such a relatively new institution gained admiration of owners of merchant vessels choosing to sponsor the financial requirements of future Filipino seafarers as its midshipmen. Remarkably, it was able to get enough funding from a Japanese institution to build different set of facilities specifically constructed for midshipmen intended for Japan.

These can be considered breakthroughs in a very streamlined industry – maritime training, with its very young entry into the market. But what have these commercial institutions found in MAAP which gained their confidence to invest large amount of money to a newcomer? I believe other than the products or maritime graduates who may have made credit for their institutions, the world-recognized certifications by an external body for the academy gives MAAP its edge over the others. Standing alone, without government support, she has to be creative in getting the attention of its major stakeholders – the investors.

Certifications such as ISO and PSB-QMET builds a different character not only among the human resources but to the institution itself. MAAP in short was successful in developing an attractive brand both for its future cadets, and its consumers. In order to maintain those certifications, a high standard of learning and facilities must be maintained. It maintains a training standard which keeps up with the new trends in technology available in the industry.