Vlog Festival: Where Stories Set Sail
Last 25 June 2025, on the Day of the Seafarer, United Marine Training Center (UMTC) didn’t just celebrate skills — we celebrated people. Their stories. Their voice. Their spirit.
In an evening filled with emotion, cheers, and quiet awe, we hosted the first-ever UMTC Vlog Festival: Gabi ng Parangal — a culminating event that gave center stage to the voices of our trainees and alumni through the power of digital storytelling.Honoring the 30,000 and the Stories Behind Them
With more than 30,000 seafarers trained annually at UMTC, this festival was not just an event — it was a tribute to the men and women behind the numbers; to the individuals who carry our values beyond the walls of our training center, and across oceans.
The Vlog Festival was born out of one goal: to show that every seafarer’s story matters. And when given the platform, these stories can inform, inspire, and transform the maritime industry for the better.
More Than a Venue — A Lesson in Resilience
Originally set for an outdoor celebration, the event was challenged by weather conditions, prompting a last-minute venue change.
But as our President, Tony Galvez, said in his opening remarks, “It’s moments like these that reflect the very spirit of a seafarer — resilient".
True enough, the night went on. And it turned into something more intimate, more powerful, and more meaningful.
Originally set for an outdoor celebration, the event was challenged by weather conditions, prompting a last-minute venue change.
Stories that Stirred the Room
Guests were treated to a premiere-style viewing of vlog entries created by UMTC trainees and alumni — entries grounded in this year’s theme: “Navigating My Future: Empowered, Safe, and Trained at UMTC.”
Each of the 11 stories told a unique truth — overcoming fear, rising above discrimination, choosing courage over silence, or simply honoring the transformative journey of maritime training. These weren’t just videos. They were lived experiences.
A Panel That Listens
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- UMTC Managing Director, Donald Bautista
- UMTC Project Consultant, Viktoriia Sotnikova
And three well-loved maritime content creators who also delivered messages of hope, empowerment, and accountability within the seafaring community:
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- Morenong Marino: Ivan Guzman
- KC Seafarer TV: KC Abigail Chin
- Marino Ph: Reno Bolivar
Their presence, stories, and words affirmed one thing: advocacy can be relatable, powerful, and real, especially when it comes from fellow seafarers.
(L-R: Tony Galvez, Reno Bolivar, Ivan Guzman, KC Chin, Viktoriia Sotnikova, and Donald Bautista)Celebrating the Best
The night’s awards recognized the creativity, authenticity, and technical craft of each vlog:- Social Media Choice Award – (determined by highest positive engagement across UMTC platforms) ETO Cadet John Mark Tiquia (Entry #7)
- Best in Cinematography- Engine Prospective Officers Batch 47 (Entry #10)
- Silver Vlog Award- Deck Alumni 2/O John William Soria (Entry #8)
- Golden Vlog Award/Grand Winner- ETO Cadet John Mark Tiquia (Entry #7)
Every awardee took the stage with pride, knowing that their voice had found a home, and their story, a spotlight.
Why It Matters
Aligned with this year’s IMO campaign: #MyHarassmentFreeShip, the Vlog Festival was not just about content creation. It was about amplifying awareness — about the urgent need for safer, more inclusive environments at sea.
And it starts here — in the training grounds.
Because we don’t just teach skills.
At UMTC, we shape values, character, and confidence
We train seafarers to navigate more than just waters — but life itself
This celebration is a birthplace — of stronger narratives, louder voices, and a shared movement toward change.
The Journey Continues
To every participant who submitted a vlog, to every guest who filled the room with support and spirit, and to every voice that reminded us why we do what we do — thank you.
As our Managing Director, Donald Bautista, so powerfully reminded us in his speech:
Among the millions of seafarers across the globe, it is the Filipino seafarers who lead — not just in numbers, but in heart, in dedication, and excellence. And that is something we should all be proud of.
And to our trainees and alumni — thank you for choosing to be part of UMTC. This center is not just a place of training. It is a home where your stories begin, where your values are formed, and where your voices are heard.
This festival is not the end — it is a beginning. A beginning of more powerful stories, more honest conversations, and more advocacy for what truly matters: dignity, equality, and safety at sea.
Let us continue to sail forward — not just as individuals, but as a community that celebrates every seafarer, every journey, and every voice that dares to be heard.
The sea is vast. But so is the strength of a Filipino seafarer.
And here at UMTC, that strength is celebrated — always.
Happy Seafarers’ Day!
