Seafarer’s wife brings education closer to less fortunate youth

Seafarer’s wife brings education closer to less fortunate youth
Yashika F. Torib April 7, 2021 https://www.manilatimes.net/2021/04/07/business/maritime-business/seafar...

Aware that education and skills training are keys to employment, Veronica Estor, a seafarer’s wife, established a training and education institution that allows the youth to pursue their education for P20 a day.

Having worked her way from the lowest rung of the corporate ladder, Estor knew of the disparate opportunities available to the youth and new graduates. Thus, in 2018, she set up the Movers International School, Inc. which offers senior high school programs for a measly P 20 per day and a down payment of P1,500.

The Movers International School, Inc. offers senior high school programs for a measly Php 20.00 per day and a down payment of Php1,500.00. All the other educational expenses are subsidized by the schools and their sponsors through their adopt a student program called “Tulong Ko, Pangarap Mo”.

“We will have our first batch of senior high school graduates this year, and there are 50 of them who will be graduating,” Estor said with pride.

The school also offers training and assessments on Tesda-approved courses on Food and Beverages, Bartending, Housekeeping, and Bookkeeping with National Certificate II (NC II) issued to graduates who have demonstrated competence in all units of qualification.

“Our students for these vocational programs are now undergoing on-the-job training with our business partners and we are looking forward to their employment very soon,” she said.

Amidst the limitations brought about by the Coronavirus pandemic, Movers International continues its education and training efforts by utilizing blended learning techniques such as online classes and limited face-to-face interactions for practical activities.

Estor’s passion for education and training was rooted in her experience working for Far East Maritime Training Center which was then housed in its original office in Amsir Building, Paredes St., Sampaloc, Manila. The training center eventually became one of the largest and most prestigious maritime training institutions in the country.

“I started working in Far East in 1999 and during the time, I was unsure of my exact corporate position. I was simply tasked by my superiors to handle research, information technology, encoding, and other secretarial duties,” Estor laughed.

It was also in Far East Maritime Training Center where she met her husband Rey, a marine engineer graduate of the Philippine Merchant Marine Academy (PMMA) batch 1994.

“He is now a chief engineer and is currently working onboard a ship,” she said.

With their initial friendship and eventual relationship rooted in maritime education and training, the couple, decades later, decided to put up their school.

“Being a wife of a seafarer, a former maritime training staff, and now as the school head of Movers International, gives me opportunities to share my blessings and knowledge with the less fortunate. Even our friends and relatives are showing their full support to our programs,” Estor said.

The couple, in their free time, also volunteers in protecting the marine environment and promoting maritime safety through the Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary (PCGA). They are part of a Pcga squadron in the National Capital Region where members are mostly seafarers, seafarers’ wives, maritime educators, trainers, and medical practitioners.