The Shipmates of Philippines https://shipmates.app is a group which aims to improve the quality of life in the Philippines and fight for the rights of Filipino workers in different workplaces all over the world. This organization is modeled after the Dockers Union of USA and its member labor unions are primarily from the dockworkers of the Philippines. In fact, they say that the Shipmates of Philippines is similar to the Dockers’ Union of USA. It is an international group which has so far successfully organized a broad spectrum of Filipino workers from different parts of the country to form the core of the volunteer labor force in the country. These volunteers have given a lot of time, energy, and financial resources to various sectors in the Philippines which have benefitted largely from their efforts.
There are many volunteer organizations which aim at providing aid and assistance to the poor in the areas like health, education, social welfare, and the environment. However, not many know about the Shipmates of Philippines. The organization was formed in 2021. However, the volunteer activities have been ongoing since then. And it has also become one of the most important partner organizations in the Association of Filipino Engineers (ACFE) which represents the interests of many Filipino engineers in different fields.
The group is made up of Filipino and foreign volunteers. They come from different countries like Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, Malaysia, France, Germany, Russia, and America. The volunteers from all these different countries come together to make a big contribution to the Filipino society in areas like health care, economic empowerment, and women rights, to name a few. In addition, this group also provides services like helping to build houses for the poor people, and providing for disaster relief.
Shipmates International, Incorporated is the sole operator of the Shipmates Philippines. The main function of the company is to provide for the needs of the Filipino people by organizing programs, training programs, and awareness campaigns. The projects undertaken by the company are primarily geared towards providing jobs for the many domestic and foreign Filipinos. But they also aim to help uplift the lives of the poor and empowering them to lead an improved life. They also undertake activities to improve the environment in different parts of the country. Their efforts in the environment include planting trees, reforesting, recycling trash materials, and stopping landfills from filling up.
The environment is very important to the Filipino people and their culture. They are deeply religious people and love nature and animal life. In order to preserve their environment they have constructed many conservation centers like Tipu Sultan Marine Park and the Balvanas National Park. The Shipmates Philippines Foundation has also initiated many programs to educate the public about their responsibility in preserving the environment and wildlife.
One of the most important programs that they offer to the public is the Volunteer Teach English Program or ViTEC or Volunteer Teaching English to a Filipino Village. This program aims to teach English to the rural Filipinos who are not aware of the language. The program also aims to empower the rural people and empower them to become aware of the necessary things that they need to do in order to sustain the natural resources of the place where they live. This program also helps the students prepare for higher education. The students who take part in this program have the opportunity to travel around the world while teaching the language to the local people.
The next major program that they organize is the Sea Quest Program. This is a volunteer program wherein the volunteers from all over the country spend time on diving with the dolphins and other marine animals in the waters of Boracay and Panay. The volunteers get to witness sea creatures like the rare clownfish, black and white tip sharks, blue marlin, and other species of fish in their natural habitat.
The last one on the list is the Volunteer Teach English to a Filipino Village Program or ViTEC. This is also one of the most popular programs that they conduct. Volunteers from all over the country travel to Boracay and Panay in search for a land that will house their fellow volunteers. Here they will be able to practice their English and teach them how to speak and practice it in front of a Filipino family. After they finish learning the language, they will be able to take a job as a translator in a school or in a mission field and finally apply for a job as an English teacher.