CABUYAO CITY, LAGUNA — The PTC Group, through the PTC RISE Program, and Mapúa Malayan Colleges Laguna (MMCL) renewed their commitment to campus disaster resilience during a Memorandum of Agreement signing on September 22, 2026, at the E.T. Yuchengco Building Boardroom.
Representing PTC RISE were Lead Program Officer Josh McCarver, Project Manager Arlene Ramirez, and Project Associate Crystal Lopez. MMCL was represented by Vice President for External Linkages, Internationalization, and Transnational Education Prof. James Ronald Mesina and Mapúa PTC College of Maritime Education and Training Deputy Dean C/E Alfredo Haboc.
The PTC RISE Program for Safe Schools is a sustainable, school-based disaster risk reduction (DRR) initiative. Drawing on the maritime industry’s culture of safety and preparedness, it equips educators, students, and stakeholders to strengthen disaster readiness and response across campuses and surrounding communities.
As National Maritime Week 2026 began, the signing renewed MMCL’s commitment to advancing DRR through the Safe Schools initiative. The partnership will work toward integrating DRR education into the National Service Training Program (NSTP), beginning with first-year students.
McCarver welcomed MMCL’s move to embed DRR in the NSTP. “MMCL has been a proactive resilience partner since 2022. Integrating DRR into the NSTP will bring practical safety education to first-year students,” he said.
Mesina said the partnership supports MMCL’s commitment to campus safety. “DRR is essential to our community’s safety. Through the NSTP, we can engage students in preparedness from their first year,” he said.
Haboc highlighted how maritime safety principles can strengthen resilience on land. “Safety is a way of life at sea. Through PTC RISE, students can bring that mindset to their schools, families, and communities,” he said.
Following the signing, both teams mapped short-, medium-, and long-term DRR priorities for MMCL. The plan will guide future Safe Schools activities and support sustained program implementation.
PTC RISE also recognized MMCL President Dodjie Maestrecampo, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Engr. Anthony Hilmer Medrano, Mesina, Vice President for Academic Affairs Engr. Maribel Songsong, and Center for Student Learning and Community Engagement Coordinator Ma. Vanessa Velasco for supporting the initiative.
McCarver urged schools, educators, students, and community partners to make preparedness part of everyday learning. “Resilience begins before disaster strikes. Act now, strengthen preparedness, and make safety a shared responsibility,” he said. “Together, we can turn every campus into a center of readiness—and every learner into a champion of resilience.”
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