By Vincent Ignacio

Notre Dame Oilfields Maritime Services, Inc. was audited last Monday, March 1st by Bureau Veritas Certification and was recommended for ISO 9001:2008 certification. The agency will be officially certified once it resolves a few minor non-conformance issues. A minor non-conformance doesn’t necessarily indicate a systemic problem with the quality management system. It is typically an isolated or random incident and is normally easily corrected and verified.

By Vincent Ignacio

After office hours on the 23rd of December, Notre Dame Oilfields Maritime Services Inc. celebrated it’s Christmas party at it’s newly renovated office. It was a fun party spent with the owners, staff, returning crew, relatives and friends. Aside from the abundance of food and drink, there was also an exchange of gifts, parlor games, and raffle prizes were given away.

We would like to thank our dispatched crew for our principal in Europe for sponsoring our Christmas party, and also our suppliers and other returning crew for providing our raffle prizes and bringing more food for our feast.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to All!!!

By Vincent Ignacio

In preparation for Notre Dame Oilfields Maritime Services, Inc. ’s thrust towards ISO 9001:2008 compliance, it’s management has undertaken a complete office makeover. Walls were taken down and were replaced with four feet high partitions. An office furniture system and storage solution was also adapted to make the working area more efficient, open, ergonomic, and organized. The applicant’s reception area was also greatly improved so prospective candidates can fill up their application forms comfortably.

By Vincent Ignacio

As a recruitment agency, we pride ourselves that Notre Dame Oilfields Maritime Services has a social conscience and supportive of our country’s economic development. Many have benefited from our efforts to secure more jobs for our Filipino seafarers and offshore workers. Provided that they already have the necessary requirements such as trainings, work experience and have a clean bill of health, we can help them land a job on board a vessel or an offshore project.

With our agency, our applicants don’t need to bribe us so they can get work. While it is true that sea-based recruitment agencies are not allowed by the Philippine government to collect placement fees, other greedy agencies still collect grease money from their applicants. Sadly, this has been the norms since the 70’s and hasn’t changed up to now. As of this writing, the going rate is between 50,000 to 60,000 pesos each applicant.

One story that reached me is about a Filipino merchant marine officer who was personally escorted to the airport by the lady owner of a recruitment agency. As he was about to enter the passengers lounge, the lady owner handed him a piece of paper. Written on the piece of paper was her bank account details and she told him to deposit $200 into it every month as payment to her for helping him get a job.

Well that’s just one story out of so many that we encounter in our office. I believe that most of our Filipino seafarers have already accepted this behavior as SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) among sea-based recruitment agencies thus they never bother to report it to the proper authorities. Others were even threatened by these same recruitment agencies that they will have them blacklisted if they complain. Well, they are just that, threats. If no one will take action against these greedy recruitment agencies, they will continue to take advantage on our less informed Filipino seafarers.

Overseas Filipino workers have funneled billions of dollars into the Philippine economy in 2008 alone. They were not only able to provide for their families but also help keep our economy afloat. Every time their loved ones spend their hard-earned remittances, new money is being circulated into our economy.

Again, I would like to take this opportunity to thank our clients and their representatives. Many were able to go to school, buy their medicine, have food to eat on their tables, in short, many lives changed for the better because of your trust in us as your recruitment agent here in the Philippines. May God prosper your companies more!

Notre Dame Oilfields Maritime Services is in urgent need of Fishermen for our various principals abroad. This vacancy is on-going and we accept applicants continously.

Requirements Needed:
NSO Birth Certificate (process thru our agency)
Passport
Seaman’s Book
BSC / BST
NBI
IELTS Average of 5 (for Australia only)
Transcript of Records (for College Level/Graduates)
Form 137 (for High School Graduates)
Diploma
CAV (with receipt)
Voter’s ID/Registration
SSS ID or E-1
3 Valid IDs
Baptismal Certificate
3 pcs. passport size ID pictures (white background, not digital printout)