DLSU MS PHEM Program Rollout and Promotion at Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) and PHIVIDEC Industrial Authority (PIA) in Cagayan de Oro City and Misamis Oriental

The Civil Engineering Department of De La Salle University conducted its first Master of Science in Ports and Harbors Engineering and Management (MS PHEM) rollout and promotion in Cagayan de Oro City and Misamis Oriental on May 18, 2018.  This is aligned to the objectives of the MS PHEM program which are; (1) to offer an innovative program that leverages partnerships with industry and foreign universities, (2) to take the lead in providing an MS PHEM that can benefit the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) and its allied industry personnel as a whole, (3) to enhance academic and research collaboration between DLSU and PPA and its allied industry in ports and harbors for the benefit of all stakeholders, and (4) to be the leading provider of MS PHEM program in the country and in Southeast Asia.

In the morning of May 18, 2018, Dr. Alexis Fillone and Dr. Mario de Leon of DLSU CE Department visited the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) of Cagayan de Oro City. The DLSU delegates were received by Engr. Isidro V. Butaslac, Jr., the Port Manager. The meeting with the PPA Port Manager, engineers, personnel and staff started with the presentation of Dr. Fillone on the CE graduate programs of DLSU which highlights the MS PHEM program objectives, courses, faculty profile, admission requirements and the scholarships and financial assistance available. On one hand, PPA CDO also presented their challenges to climate change, the impacts and risks, and how to make the port resilient against disasters and changes of coastal environment. At present, PPA CDO is also engaged in Green Port programs which they also benchmark from Ports Authority of Thailand, Singapore and other Asian countries. Furthermore, PPA CDO recognized and acknowledged the MS PHEM program valuable for their port industry operations and suggested the possibility of offering it as an offshore program. This will also attract other PPA field offices in Iligan, Ozamiz and neighboring areas as well as academic institutions within the region. PPA CDO office is also requesting that PPA head office in Manila will consider them as recipients and part of the financial scheme of the MS PHEM program of PPA.

DLSU CE delegates (Dr. Fillone and Dr. de Leon) and 

PPA CDO during the MS PHEM rollout on May 18, 2018

In the afternoon of May 18, 2018, Dr. Fillone and Dr. de Leon had an appointment with PHIVIDEC Industrial Authority (PIA) in Misamis Oriental for its MS PHEM rollout.  Ms. Elvira Garcia, Manager of Port Management & Development Department, welcomed the DLSU delegates and invited also their engineers to attend the presentation of DLSU. Dr. Fillone in his presentation highlighted the courses of the MS PHEM program, admission requirements, faculty, and scholarships. PIA also expressed their interest in the program and the feasibility of offering it as an offshore program was also raised. After the presentation, a short meeting was also arranged with the Administrator and CEO of PIA, Atty. Franklin Quijano, who was also supportive of the program and proposed for the integration and enhancement of port operations and management in the program.

Over-all Experience in the MS PHEM rollout:

The opportunity to meet with academe’s industry partners with PPA and PIA gave DLSU CE faculty a wider perspective on the problems encountered by those who are engage in port operations and management. Considering that the field offices are directly exposed to what are currently the state and condition of the port, the needs to improve port operations and management, this will then become the focus and study areas of graduate students for further research. With their proposal to offer the MS PHEM an offshore program in Cagayan de Oro is still to be further discussed in the CE department.