TAGBILARAN, BOHOL (December 10, 2012) – Some 4,100 maritime students of PMI Colleges-Bohol showed their support to Filipino seafarers and their families as they formed the country’s biggest human angkla to date at the PMI Taloto Grounds, today, December 10. The human angkla formation broke the record of 2,500 participants previously set at Luneta in September by members of the maritime sector.

“We are very proud to have achieved such a feat especially since this is purely a student initiative. Bilang isang Pilipino at parte ng industriya [ng pagmamarino], gusto namin ipakita ang aming commitment sa pagsulong sa interes ng mga seafarers at kanilang pamilya. Kami na ang susunod na henerasyon at gusto lang namin na ma-promote ang sektor dahil proud kami na kami ay marino,” says Ronie Orillosa, third year BS Marine Transportation student and current president of the PMI Colleges-Bohol Supreme Student Government (SSG). The maritime students formed an anchor at the center with the words “ANGKLA” and “PMI-BOHOL.” After their formation, the students shouted in unison, “Mabuhay ang mga Marino!” a clear demonstration of how the maritime sector has been awakened recently by the possibility of finally getting a voice in the government.

According to Orillosa, SSG was inspired by the human angkla that other schools had formed. “Maganda ito dahil maipapakita namin ang pagkakaisa naming mga estudyante, maipapakita namin kung ano ang kayang gawin kung sama-sama.” The youth leader, along with some volunteers and the entire Supreme Student Council, spent weeks preparing for the exercise and even lobbied to the school administration to allow such an exercise.

Other schools that have formed their own human angkla in the past were PTC-Malayan College in Laguna, Capitol University in Cagayan De Oro, VMA Global College in Bacolod and Southern Philippines College in Cagayan De Oro city.

Present during the event as guest speaker was Atty. Jess Manalo, chairman of Angkla, an organization that aims to protect the rights of seafarers and promote their welfare and their families. In his speech, he commended the students of PMI-Bohol for their support and commitment in pushing for the maritime sector’s growth and development. He also called on all stakeholders in the maritime sector—maritime students, seafarers, their families, manning agencies and anyone connected to the industry— to unite under a common goal: to finally give voice to seafarers.