The All Japan Seaman’s Union (JSU) and the International Mariners Management Association of Japan (IMMAJ) welcomed the cadets of the Maritime Academy of Asia and the Pacific (MAAP) Class 2016 through a ceremony which has been an academy tradition. The ceremony was held last June 4, 2012 at the Campus Mes Hall, MAAP, Mariveles, Bataan. These freshmen are the new batch of scholars whose education is sponsored by the JSU and the IMMAJ.

MAAP President, VAdm. Eduardo Ma. R. Santos, AFP (Ret.) gave the welcome remarks and highlighted all time figures in the 14-year history of the prestigious maritime institution. “Of the 12,000 applicants for this coming academic year, 600 were accepted in MAAP. Of these 600, 298 are JSU-IMMAJ scholars,” reports VAdm. Santos.

JSU General Director for International Affairs Bureau, Mr. Yasumi Morita, Associated Marine Officers’ and Seamen’s Union of the Philippines (AMOSUP) President, Dr. Conrado F. Oca, IMMAJ Chairman, Mr. Tsutomu Iizuka and Philippine-Japan Manning Consultative Council (PJMCC) President, Mr. Eduardo U. Manese delivered their inspirational messages with a lot of hope and well wishes to new batch of scholars.

Representatives from different Japanese shipowners and cadet representatives then assembled to the front for the traditional Pinning Ceremony. Representatives of the Japanese shipowners attached a pin bearing the Japanese and Philippine flags on the breast pockets of the selected cadets signifying the partnership between the two nations.

PJMCC Vice President Capt. Teodoro B. Quijano closed the ceremony with his closing remarks and emphasized that the importance of the MAAP slogan, Virtus, Fides, Disciplina to succeed in their education and future way of life. He asks that the cadets be guided by virtue, to know what is right; fidelity to know how to be loyal; and discipline to be directed accordingly.