a little history about PMI Colleges Inc.

PMI Colleges (Formerly Philippine Maritime Institute)

Providing quality maritime education through the years

Since the pre-colonial Philippines to the present time the growth of the Philippine foreign and domestic trade attests to the need of improving the expertise in maritime transportation.

PMI Colleges campuses are located in Sta. Cruz, Manila, Roosevelt Avenue in Quezon City, and in Tagbilaran City, Bohol. Photo shows PMI Colleges’ training ship, M/V "Admiral Tomas Cloma"

HUMBLE BEGINNINGS

It was only lately that the Filipinos exerted great efforts to establish formal schooling so that navigators or pilots may receive proper instructions and trainings.

The paving for new portal of education took a man of vision, a man of indomitable determination and unswerving faith before the famed institution gave a new hope to his countrymen, especially to the Filipino youth, adventurous young men who wanted to join the ranks of seafaring men. This opened an opportunity for grandiose accomplishments in serving the country by becoming the pilots, mates, captains, officers, commodores, admirals, etc. Atty. Tomas Cloma Sr., the founder enjoys the full recognition and praise for a meritorious achievement.

The Philippine Maritime Institute was founded by Atty. Tomas Cloma on September 18, 1948. The first quarterly enrollment was fifty-four and every quarter thereafter added other batches of new cadets. The school, offered them, one year Nautical course in three (3) separate session-morning, afternoon and evening. It was housed in two buildings in David Street, now Burke Street, near Escolta, Manila.

The first graduates successfully passed the Civil Service examination given by the Board of Marine Engineers for Deck Officers. As to the adequacy of its equipment and training facilities, the school had two training ships, the motor launched "Victoria" and the "S/S Clavecillia" which were used as training ships during weekends. It also had a good sized library and a lot of equipments and teaching aids.

It was granted recognition by the Secretary of Education on January 1950. The Graduates had the same status as those of the government nautical school. Legislation had favored graduates of the school by exempting them from taking the Third Mate’s technical examination given by the board of marine Examiners for Deck Officers until 1954.

The Nautical curriculum was lengthened to two years after PMI petitioned the department of Education through the private Schools to offer a two-year course in Nautical Science leading to the title of Associate in Nautical Science (ANS), which was granted on February 13, 1953.

The Department of Marine Engineering opened that same year. In the School year 1953-54, the Bureau of Private Schools approved the two-year curriculum presented by the PMI to offer the Marine Engineering with the title of Associate in Marine Engineering (AME)

The standard of the school was reflected in the results of the board examination for the nautical graduates. Since, 1950, there is always a PMI alumnus who tops the Board Examination and many more land in the top ten list.

The school also has its Department of Naval Science and Tactics under the control and supervision of the Philippine Navy. This department handles the compulsory military training of all enrolled cadets except those duly exempted. The two-year advanced training leads to a commission ship in the Phil. Navy.

The Department of Customs Administration was born on 1954. The curriculum of this course was prepared with the advice of leading customs authorities and tariff specialists who also formed the nucleus of its teaching staff. The curriculum was well-rounded that its approval by the Department of Education was a ministerial duty; Graduates of its department are well-placed in the government service and the customs brokerage services.

And in 1960 the PMI offered for the first time a four-year course leading to the degree of Bachelor of Science in Customs Administration, minor in Tariff (BSCA).

In the year 1961, PMI became the exclusive school of the famous Weavers Course on Real State with leading realtors in Manila and suburbs as Instructors.

On June 14, 1983 the four-year course in Nautical Science was granted recognition by the ministry of Education and Culture.

At present the PMI is the biggest nautical school in the Philippines. The equipment and training facilities of the school in its expansion has the following additionals: Laboratory rooms- 1 unit (7.00 x 8.00 mtrs.) AME Front, 2 units (7.00 x 10.00 mtrs.) AME Rear, I unit (5.00 x 6.50 mtrs. ) Seaman Building. The nautical equipment are: radar equipment (made in Japan M-4 15-9 SN 65507 – Built 1966.12); one unit magnetic compass Liquid type 6-inches diameter, sextants – one (1) units "Marine" sextant, Bubble sextant, magnetic compass, Aneroid barometer, Azimuth Mirror, Bar cyclometer, Direction Finder, Anometer, Taffrail Log, Parallel Ruler; Compass Divider, Charts and Maps, Thermometer, Morse Code, International Flags, Knots and Splices, Cloud Code Charts. The installation of furno Marine Radar Model 1600, 16 M mile range at Quezon City branch will be made before the end of this year.

The present standard of the school is shown in the results of examination with an almost 100 percent of graduates passing the Board Examinations for Deck Officers and Marine Engineers. Today, as it celebrates its 57th Foundation day, PMI Colleges is considered as the oldest and the largest among over 100 private maritime schools in the country with three campuses in Manila, Quezon City, and Tagbilaran City.

FLAGSHIP COURSES

PMI Colleges offers the following courses; Bachelor of Science in Marine Transportation (BSMT), this course has three-year academic program and one-year shipboard apprenticeship, which upon completion would earn a graduate the Bachelor of Science in Marine Transportation degree. BSMT Cadets are the future Merchant Marine Deck Officers of Merchant Fleets in the Global Maritime Shipping Manpower Industry.

Bachelor of Science in Marine Engineering (BSMarE), this course has three year academic program and one - year shipboard apprenticeship program which upon completion would earn a graduate a Bachelor of Science in Marine Engineering. BSMarE Cadets are the future Marine Engineer Officers of vessels.

Another course that PMI Colleges offers is the Bachelor of Science in Customs Administration (BSCA). A four-year baccalaureate course which prepare its graduate for a career in export and import industry, brokerage and other related trade practices.

Masters in Customs Administration (MCA) is the highest degree offers in PMI Colleges which has something to do with import/export, and brokerage procedures and other related trade practices.

PMI also offers a technical-vocational course; the Seafarer Rating Course (SRC) is a one year course that caters to those high school graduates who wants to board the vessels the faster way around. They could choose majoring between Deck and Stewardship. Graduates of SRC are the future boatswain’s on board having been trained as able-bodied seaman and steward.

---