Senior Deputy Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo expresses her gratitude to Dr. Renato Legaspi for donating a statue of late President Diosdado Macapagal inside the Philippine Marine Merchant Academy in San Narciso, Zambales. Also in the photo is Delia Legaspi. Photo by CHRISTIAN D. SUPNAD
CGMA vows to convert PMMA into ‘PNMA’
FORMER president and now Senior Deputy Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo vowed Friday to work in Congress for the conversion of the Philippine Merchant Marine Academy (PMMA) into “Philippine National Marine Academy”(PNMA) as she also lauded educator and businessman Dr. Renato Legaspi for donating a “life-size” statue of the late President Diosdado Macapagal that was unveiled Friday, April 21, in commemoration of the death anniversary of the ninth president of the country inside PMMA in San Narciso, Zambales.
The unveiling of the statue of the late President Macapagal was personally led by Congresswoman Macapagal-Arroyo herself, Zambales Governor Hermogenes Ebdane, Dr. Legaspi and wife Delia M. Legaspi, former Pampanga vice governor Cielo Macapagal-Salgado, other top government, and PMMA officials.
Pampanga 2nd District Cong. Macapagal-Arroyo said in her speech that she will talk to her colleagues in the Lower House to work for the conversion of PMMA into a “national merchant marine academy” – as the PMMA was “equivalent” to the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) and Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA).
The former president cited Dr. Legaspi, a prominent educator, owner of Central Luzon College of Science and Technology of Olongapo city and in San Fernando city, and head of the “Volunteers for Bongbong Marcos Movement for President” and “Sarah Duterte for Vice President Movement” in Central Luzon, for donating the statue of his father.
Last elections, then-presidential candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. got his highest votes in Central Luzon.
Dr. Legaspi said the statue of Pres. Macapagal is to “honor” his contribution and for being instrumental in establishing PMMA as a “state maritime academy” during his term in 1963.
The PMMA, formerly known as the Philippine Nautical School, was created in January 1963 via Republic Act 3680, which was signed into law by President Macapagal.
Since then, PMMA has produced “efficient and well-trained” merchant marine officers of an international caliber.
