Special Housing Program Offers To OFW Seamen

International ship owners will continue to provide housing projects to Filipino seamen to keep their loyalty with the company and help them with their financial needs particularly in giving decent homes.

The good record and work ethics of Filipino semen makes them ideal employees for international shipping firms compared to other manpower-producing countries.

Philippine Transmarine Carriers, Inc. have provided 30,000 houses in Cavite for their thousands of ship captains and crews and vows to continue their housing program to for their future employees.

Captain Ronald SJ. Enrile vice president for operations of PTC said that PTC had ventured to launch an eight- hectare-housing project comprise of 319 houses and lots single detached and each sold at Php1.5 million intended of its officers and crew in Cavite.

“The project was started only last year named as “Pacific Terraces Community” and its officers and crew could avail it through Pag-Ibig with 20 percent to 30 percent discount offered by the PTC,” Enrile said.

About 80% of houses and lots were now occupied by Filipino seamen together with their respective families.

The PTC also provides seamen special awards and incentives to deserving seamen and free training, seminars, scholarship grants, livelihood seminars for seamen’s spouses and dependents.

Aside from PTC, other shipping firms also have their own housing programs for seamen to maintain a good relationship between them and the employer and also to boost seamen’s ability to work harder.