BAGUIO CITY – The PTC Group, through the RISE Program for Safe Schools (RPSS), and the RSE Foundation, Inc. (RSEFI) presented their collaboration intent to Philippine Association of Maritime Institutions (PAMI) North Luzon members during the PAMI RNET Northern Luzon 2026 Midterm General Members Meeting at Newtown Plaza Hotel on September 11, 2026.
Facilitated by Josh McCarver, PTC Talent Acquisition Group Lead Program Officer and RSE Foundation Programs Supervisor, the meeting introduced over 27 PAMI RNET Northern Luzon representatives to the PTC RISE Program, a maritime industry-led Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) initiative that promotes safety, preparedness, and proactive disaster response.
PAMI RNET Northern Luzon members were also oriented on RSEFI’s Disaster Resilience and Sustainability programs, anchored on the four DRRM pillars: preparedness, prevention and mitigation, response and early recovery, and rehabilitation and recovery. These programs provide Maritime Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) a platform to strengthen disaster resilience, sustainability, and corporate social responsibility initiatives.
Strengthening Maritime HEIs Disaster Risk Reduction Capacities through Training and Technology
The PTC RISE Program for Safe Schools is a school-based, sustainable DRR initiative that strengthens the disaster risk reduction capacities of educational institutions through training for educators, students, and stakeholders. Rooted in the maritime industry’s culture of safety and preparedness, it promotes disaster preparedness and response on every campus to help protect communities from hazards and disasters.
PAMI RNET North Luzon members were encouraged by PAMI Vice Chairperson and President Sabino Czar Manglicmot, II, to collaborate with the PTC RISE Program through the RISE Program for Safe Schools, not only for the benefit of the campuses but also for the value it adds to the Maritime HEIs.
“As PTC RISE Program partners since 2024, we at Midway Colleges can attest to the relevance and significance of partnering with them, not only to educate and train our students and personnel on Disaster Preparedness, but also to position our institutions as a reliable and trusted partner of LGUs for Disaster Risk Reduction. Through our partnership with the PTC RISE Program, Midway Colleges became more recognized by the Cabanatuan City government and other government agencies, and has since opened opportunities where we can do more for the citizens during hazards and disasters. As PAMI Members, hopefully you can explore and see the potential of this partnership with them.”
Moreover, the PTC RISE Program is also open to discussing other DRR solutions that Maritime HEIs are interested in undertaking, depending on their needs and requirements; a welcome approach towards sustainable collaboration as DRR is everyone’s shared responsibility.
Community-based Disaster Resilience and Sustainability Programs for Empowerment of Communities and Citizens
RSE Foundation, Inc. (RSEFI) is a non-profit organization that builds resilient communities in the Philippines through rapid response, risk reduction, and long-term resilience programs, ensuring vulnerable communities are supported before, during, and after crises.
Its Disaster Resilience and Sustainability programs are anchored on the four DRRM pillars: RISE Program for Seafarer Communities for preparedness, Safe4Shores for prevention and mitigation, Rapid Relief and Recovery (R3) for response and early recovery, and PROPEL for rehabilitation and recovery. For PAMI RNET Northern Luzon members, the partnership focuses on R3, enabling Maritime HEIs to organize and mobilize humanitarian relief for disaster-affected families in evacuation centers and communities.
Manglicmot shared the significance of the RSEFI R3 Program to Maritime HEIs. “Partnering with RSE Foundation through the R3 Program can significantly help Maritime HEIs who would like to extend aid, help, and support to families affected by hazards and disasters. Instead of doing it on your own, RSE Foundation can help in organizing the deployment of disaster relief, which is already something that greatly benefits our institutions. Also, apart from MARINA and other regulatory requirements, I highly recommend partnering with organizations such as RSE Foundation to help with CSR and to encourage our students and personnel to volunteer and serve the people.”
PAMI, PTC, and RSEFI: A Disaster Resilience Synergy with Great Potentials
As the climate crisis compounds natural hazards across the Philippines, the maritime sector plays a vital role in building disaster-resilient communities. As leaders in safety, maritime institutions must equip students, educators, and citizens across every phase of disaster risk reduction and management.
Through a strategic partnership between the Philippine Association of Maritime Institutions (PAMI), the PTC Group, and the RSE Foundation (RSEFI), maritime colleges and universities nationwide are transforming into proactive hubs for community preparedness, practical safety education, and immediate disaster relief. With a network of 80 maritime higher education institutions across the Philippines, PAMI integrates disaster risk reduction directly into maritime education. Engaging students and faculty early ensures that classroom safety training translates into purposeful, real-world community action.
Building on this academic reach, the PTC Group’s RISE Program for Safe Schools equips these campuses with modern safety technology and institutionalized disaster readiness training. By establishing a RISE Volunteer Network on campus, students and staff become certified trainers who extend life-saving skills to their families and surrounding communities.
Complementing these preparedness efforts, the RSE Foundation activates its R3 Program during crises, turning maritime campuses into regional centers for immediate emergency response and recovery. Mobilizing the campus volunteer network, RSEFI delivers hot meals, relief packs, and hygiene kits directly to disaster-impacted neighborhoods.
By uniting academic reach, technical training, and rapid relief operations, PAMI, PTC, and RSEFI demonstrate a practical blueprint for national resilience, proving that maritime education can safeguard not only our seas, but our shores and communities as well. We call on maritime leaders, industry stakeholders, and community partners across the Philippines to embrace and expand this collaborative model. Join us in strengthening campus readiness, empowering student volunteers, and building a safer, more resilient nation today.
Together, we can build a resilient tomorrow and a sustainable future.
For more details about the RISE Program, you may reach out to RISE Lead Program Officer Josh McCarver at [email protected] or RISE Program Manager Hex Brizuela at [email protected].
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