PMMA SUPERINTENDENT CAPT. JOEL ABUTAL: Leading the Philippines’ oldest maritime school

PMMA SUPERINTENDENT CAPT. JOEL ABUTAL: Leading the Philippines’ oldest maritime school
YASHIKA F. TORIB May 29, 2019 https://www.manilatimes.net/leading-the-philippines-oldest-maritime-scho...

The country’s premier and oldest institution in maritime education has recently welcomed in its new superintendent after several months of searching, screening and qualifying procedures.
Capt. Joel Yoto Abutal now holds the helm of the 199-year old Philippine Merchant Marine Academy (PMMA) in San Narciso, Zambales.

A graduate of PMMA class ’92, Abutal earned his Master of Science in Maritime Administration and Environmental Protection at the World Maritime University in Malmo, Sweden and Maritime Education and Training at the PMMA Graduate School.

Capt. Joel Yoto Abutal

Abutal brings decades of encompassing knowledge and experience in the merchant marine industry as well as the maritime education and training sector, thus, carrying PMMA to the age of modernization, innovation and technology while remaining steadfast with its traditional form of discipline and leadership anchored in its tenets of “Righteousness, Humility, and Courage.”
Abutal took over the PMMA’s top leadership position last May 15, four months since the academy hit a leadership vacuum, following the sudden death of its superintendent Rear Admiral Richard Ritual.

“We all felt that someone should take the helm as soon as possible and the PMMA Board of Trustees, under Commissioner Ronald Adamat, ordered an urgent convening of the Search Committee,” Abutal recalled of the days when PMMA sailed on without a captain save for the temporary officer in charge — the director of the Commission on Higher Education Region 3. Six alumnus of the academy went through the rigors of qualifying procedures, each of whom offered exemplary qualifications in the maritime industry and whose competencies were tested in various capacities.

Seventeen years of sea service and 10 more as a training director, general manager, professor and dean of various shore-based maritime companies and institutions, and Abutal has found himself back to serving his alma mater. He was finally picked by a 10-member governing board to a four-year term of leading PMMA.

This job is most meaningful for the newly installed leader of PMMA as it celebrates its 200 years of existence next year. Formerly called the Escuela de Nautica de Manila during the Spanish period, PMMA boasts of distinguished alumni like Marcelo Azcarraga who later on became a prime minister of Spain and Juan Luna, one of the country’s greatest painters.

“I used to have the privilege of chairing the transfer of PMMA from Fort Bonifacio to San Narciso 21 years ago. Since then, the desire to improve and maintain the legacy of our academy became my passion.” Abutal has been serving PMMA as an associate professor since 1997 and moved up the educational ladder as the officer in charge of its College of Marine Transportation to assistant director of the Department of Research and Development until he became the dean of the College of Marine Transportation in 2001 and professor of the Graduate Studies in 2005.

Being a product of the academy who eventually became one of its mentors, Abutal has seen the strengths and weaknesses of his alma mater over the years and from there drew his plans and programs to assert and uphold the PMMA legacy:

— PMMA will take the lead in addressing core competencies of faculty and professional staff to meet the challenges of developing the future global maritime leaders

— Institutionalize the international and local industry through academe linkages and partnerships

— Strengthen research capabilities and planning for future growth and development the in the field of environmental protection, digitalization, and maritime competencies

— Institutionalize financial sustainability and responsibility with the aim of improving the retention of qualified maritime educators, professional staff and attract industry experts

— Create national and international focus and forum for networking and collaboration on trends and developments in maritime industry

— Attain leadership role in developing future global maritime leaders thru innovation, synergies & excellence

“What keeps me awake at night is the thought of upholding PMMA’s mission — to be the main source of outstanding maritime industry executives, seafarers, and government leaders. We are now delivering four disciplines within the two Bachelor degree programs,” Abutal said in reference to the maritime courses that the PMMA was the first to offer in the country, Bachelor of Science in
Marine Transportation and BS Marine Engineering. “In addition to that, we now have the Graduate Studies and the Training and Assessment Center.”

As PMMA surges forward with its new captain at the helm, the academy shall continue sailing the waves of time with excellence. Its Board of Trustees, stakeholders, partners, alumni and corps of cadets are now looking at a results oriented person, a team worker, performer and a reflective leader to take them to the Fourth Industrial Revolution — the artificial intelligence in shipping.

“Feedbacks, either positive or negative, work for the development of the organization,” he further reflected.

“It is the negative feedbacks, however, that gives greater impact to continuous improvements. I reflect on this often to ensure we are addressing the concerns of our partners and come up with innovative solutions in the organization while looking outside to effect synergy among stakeholders,” he concluded.