𝗣𝗶𝗻𝗼𝘆 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗼 𝗥𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗯𝘆 𝗔𝘁𝘁𝘆. 𝗗𝗲𝗻𝗻𝗶𝘀 𝗚𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗼
Karaoke is a significant and integral part of Filipino culture which is synonymous with happiness and good will. Rain or shine, you cannot have a true Filipino party without Karaoke!
The recent daily heavy downpour did not dampen the enthusiasm of Pinoy mariners to celebrate the 28th National Seafarers’ Day (NSD) through the annual Boses ng Marino Karaoke Challenge in Kalaw Avenue, Manila last September 29, 2023.
In between contracts, Pinoy seafarers as well as maritime students converging along Kalaw show their singing prowess through a weekly show organized by volunteers.
Talented seafarers compete for the trophies along with cash and in kind prizes once a year during the NSD.
Music plays a special role in Filipino seafarers’ lives, whether at sea or on land.
It is an understatement to say that karaoke is a central part of pop culture of Filipinos, including seafarers whether on board or in between contracts.
Karaoke is the clipped compound of the Japanese kara (empty) and okesutora (orchestra) that is an interactive entertainment in which an amateur singer sings along with recorded music (or a music video) using a microphone.
The music is normally an instrumental version of a well-known popular song. Lyrics are usually displayed on a video screen, along with a moving symbol, changing colors or music video images to guide the singer.
Karaoke is indeed a favorite pastime of Filipino seafarers as one of the coping mechanisms aboard international and domestic shipping vessels to address stress and boredom.
Filipino seafarers are physically, mentally and emotionally stressed since they are away from their family and working on board vessels sailing the world’s oceans non-stop for months.
The industry remains fraught with health and safety hazards that increase seafarers’ risks of accidents, illnesses and mortality, while others may go missing or die in maritime disasters.
But the sea cannot stop the seafarers in mastering the art of vocal mimicry from contagiously belting out songs like the infamous “My Way.”
This year marks the 13th Boses ng Marino karaoke challenge that begun in 2010.
There were also other music-related activities as part of the NSD celebrations like song writing contest (2004 to 2008), chorale competition (2007), battle of the bands (2007, 2019), jingle (2007) and Harana by the Bay PCG concert (2017-2019).
For this year’s karaoke challenge, Mark Anthony Tablate from Bohol is the top placer for his song “Pagbigyang Muli”.
Marvin Sagnoy from General Santos City won second place for the rap song “Buhay ng Seaman”. He has been a seafarer for 12 years with the current position of an Able Bodied Seaman (A/B)
Jack Suficiencia from Manila won third place for the song “In Your Eyes”. He is currently an AB and has been working as a seafarer for 15 years.
The NSD is celebrated every last Sunday of September annually by virtue of Proclamation Nos. 828 and 1094 by the late President Fidel V. Ramos that aimed to give due recognition to the vital role of Filipino seafarers towards the development of the Philippines as a maritime country. The Stella Maris Philippines is tasked to coordinate with the public and private sectors.
Masses, novenas and prayers for the safe voyage of seafarers are traditionally part of the annual NSD.
Wreath and flower-throwing activities are also offered for the deceased seafarers and fishers as well as for those who have perished or are missing at sea.
The 28th NSD was held last September 25, 2023 with the theme “Marinong Filipino: Patuloy sa Pangangalaga ng Karagatan”.
The Philippines is considered one of the major suppliers of maritime labor globally as it is estimated that there is one Filipino seafarer for every four to five complements on board a vessel at any time.
According to the BIMCO/ICS Seafarer Workforce Report 2021, the top five largest suppliers for both officers and ratings are the Philippines, the Russian Federation, Indonesia, China and India. Together, these countries supplied 44 percent of the global seafarer workforce.
In 2022, Filipino seafarers deployed reached 489,852 with the corresponding dollar remittances amounting to US$6,715,880,000.
The sea-based sector’s remittances comprise at least 22 percent of the total OFW dollar remittances.
The international shipping industry is the life blood of the global economy as it is responsible for the carriage of around 90 percent of world trade.
The NSD coincides with National Maritime Week celebrated every last week of September spearheaded alternatively by the government agencies Maritime Industry Authority (Marina), the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA).
(𝐴𝑡𝑡𝑦. 𝐷𝑒𝑛𝑛𝑖𝑠 𝑅. 𝐺𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑐ℎ𝑜 ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑆𝑒𝑎𝑓𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑟𝑠’ 𝐷𝑖𝑣𝑖𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑆𝑎𝑝𝑎𝑙𝑜 𝑉𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑧 𝐵𝑢𝑛𝑑𝑎𝑛𝑔 𝐵𝑢𝑙𝑖𝑙𝑎𝑛 𝐿𝑎𝑤 𝑂𝑓𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑒𝑠. 𝐹𝑜𝑟 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑠, 𝑒-𝑚𝑎𝑖𝑙 𝑖𝑛𝑓𝑜@𝑠𝑎𝑝𝑎𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑧.𝑐𝑜𝑚, 𝑜𝑟 𝑐𝑎𝑙𝑙 09175025808 𝑜𝑟 09088665786.)
