The team was composed of engine cadets Joseph Andales, Patrick Dean Balbin and Archie Rodriguez; and deck cadets Vincent Adam Balunan, Riedjkan Eballena and Ivan Clyde Torrefiel.
The quiz bee revolved mainly on questions about the set of skills specified under the Standards for Training,
Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW), which was adopted by conference at the International Maritime Organization in London. It also tackled the CHED Memorandum Orders for maritime programs, current maritime events, maritime laws passed and bills authored by Angkla partylist and Marina system.
Other winners of the contest were Salazar Colleges of Science and Institute of Technology (first runner-up), Southwestern University (second runner-up), University of Cebu-Lapu-Lapu Mandaue (third runner-up), and University of the Visayas (fourth runner-up).
Team UCMETC received P10,000 cash from Angkla and over P60,000 worth of training gift certificates from different Marina-accredited training centers.
The team will also represent Central Visayas in the national finals to be held in Manila on January 2016.
During the awarding ceremony, UCMETC made what was described as a ‘very noble decision’ that earned hearty appreciation from all its competitors.
Since all the six members of the team are already sponsored by international companies, the school, through Capt. Gerry Enjambre, the maritime transportation chairperson, announced they have waived the cadetship-program certificates and distributed them to the runners-up (three to SCSIT and one each to SWU, UCLM and UV).
The cadetship program gives the students the privilege of going on board a particular ship of the sponsoring company right after graduation.
Organized by the Philippine Transmarine Carrier, the event was in line with the country’s goal of setting high standards for seafaring.
The UCMETC team was coached by Capt. Gerry Enjambre, second mate Candlario Tatoy and Mario Yu and third engineers Ron Gabriel Tercera and John Brylle Algabre.