Bicol’s premier maritime institution, Mariners Polytechnic Colleges, commemorated its 50th founding anniversary on March 2-4, with the theme “Mariners’-50 years of Golden Service! Looking back and beyond…”

Dr. Marilissa Jimenez-Ampuan, President of MPCI and MPCF Canaman stated, “We are so much grateful. We will always include and embed the core values of our institution: leadership, social responsibility, honesty, and discipline.”

The officers, faculty, staff, students and alumni from all three campuses – Mariners’ Polytechnic Colleges- Naga (MPCI), Mariners’ Polytechnic Colleges Foundation of Canaman and Mariners’ Polytechnic Colleges Foundation of Legazpi joined together in various festivities to celebrate the milestone event.

The activities included a grand parade and motorcade, basketball and volleyball exhibition games, a swimming competition, a trade fair, a pageant and raffle draws.

The inauguration of the MPCI Campus Museum, which features memorabilia of the late founder Commodore Jaime C. Jimenez, was the highlight of the occasion.

The event concluded with a Grand Awards Night at The Tent, Avenue Plaza Hotel in Naga City, attended by Naga City Mayor Nelson Legacion and Secretary Suharto Teng Mangudadatu, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Director General.

Awards were given to personnel logging 5-10-25-30 years of service, retired employees and the families of posthumous awardees. MPC’s institutional partners and outstanding alumni were also honored.

Mariners Polytechnic Colleges was conceived and founded by the late Commodore Jaime C. Jimenez, Sr., a retired officer of the Philippine Navy, Chief Marine Officer, and a staunch advocate for quality education. He formerly served as President of the Philippine Association of Maritime Institutions (PAMI).

Commodore Jimenez, believed that the youth must be given the best education so they will become effective leaders of tomorrow. Hence, in 1974, he established the Mariners Polytechnic School in Manila with an initial enrollment of 35 students. Commodore Jimenez decided to transfer the school in the Bicol Region to help fellow Bicolanos in developing into competent seafarers.