Manila: Kicking off a special WISTA Week on Maritime CEO where we interview leading women in the shipping industry, today we are in the Philippine capital talking to one of the archipelago’s best known names in maritime, Doris Ho.
WISTA is the Women’s International Shipping & Trade Association, a fast growing network whose members number close to 2,000 people across the globe.
The president and ceo of Magsaysay, a very diverse conglomerate best known for its thousands of seafarers it trains and provides to the international market, reckons women could be crucial in stopping the shortage of officers working both at sea and ashore.
“An idea to address the shortage of officers – onboard and ashore – is to encourage women to take up a maritime degree, have a career plan so they can advance to a management level officer on board, say by the time they are 32, but with the goal at that stage to come home and work in the office,” says Ho.
At Magsaysay the company is busy building its logistics services to augment its liner and tanker shipping services in the Philippines. Magsaysay People Resources, meanwhile, continues to invest in training and development especially competency-based programs. The firm is also expanding its outsourcing services to help shipping companies improve productivity and costs of non-core functions.
Manila is increasingly becoming a place for outsourcing for shipping companies.
Says Ho, “One of the great assets of the Philippines is its English-speaking and hard working people – so it is not surprising that business process outsourcing has become one of the successful drivers of the economy.”
A new Maritime Code is to be debated in Congress soon which aims to rationalize all aspects of the industry, provide incentives and attract investment so that the Philippines can leverage on the foundations of the great human capital available, to grow shipowning, shipuilding and repair and services.
“Already, shipmanagement, manning and human resources services like training and development, support services, shared service centres and outsourcing are expanding quickly and we aim for the Philippines to be a very viable future desirable place to be,” comments Ho. [04/11/13]
Women’s International Shipping & Trading Association (WISTA) is an international organisation for women in management positions involved in the maritime transportation business and related trades worldwide. It is a major player in attracting more women to the industry and in supporting women in management positions. With networking, education and mentoring in focus, WISTA seeks to enhance members’ competence and empower career success. Visit the WISTA website at: http://www.wista.net/.
