WHEN Gilbert Garcia first heard the word “seafaring” as a teenager, his young mind was filled with vague images of ships sailing across vast oceans. Garcia, just like many boys his age, was then into computers, and the only thing that interested him beyond gadgets is the idea of traveling.
“I did not really know much about seafaring back then, but I pictured myself as a young and dashing ship captain exploring the world and meeting foreign people. The thought of traveling the world for free left me daydreaming for hours,” Garcia recalled.
As a young boy tinkering with his computer, he subconsciously acknowledged that to see the world, he “just have to become a seaman.”
“The world makes way for a man who knows where he is going”, these were the words that I often pass along one of the academy’s corridors.
True enough, his time with PMMA charted his direction in the journey of seafaring, and it was then he learned that the profession is more than just traveling.
“It is about the people. They are the engine that powers the industry, and it is vital to create an environment where they can thrive and succeed,” Garcia, now the general manager and director of Senator Crewing Manila, said.
His boyhood dream of sailing the world and meeting people came true when he boarded his first vessel back in 1994. He received his first command at the early age of 29.
In 2007, Garcia moved his shipping expertise to shore when he accepted a post in Singapore as a marine superintendent with Columbia Shipmanagement Ltd. The quality and safety inspection standards he established for the company are still being used by its present marine superintendents.
“That experience made me realize that there is more to shipping than just transportation and travel. New-built ship takeover, vetting inspections, and incident investigations are just some of the many factors that must be considered.
“This realization brought me back to Manila after five years of working in Singapore. I strongly felt the need to share my global field experience with the Philippine maritime industry,” he said.
From the teenager who dreamed of merely traveling the world for free to a ship captain who has seen the vastness of the oceans, up to a maritime executive whose eyes were opened to the reality of shipping, Garcia found himself on another plane of maritime experience, this time as a leader of a company who makes seafaring dreams come true for both the aspiring and experienced.
“I realized how important my role is in the success of people. I made sure to employ all my knowledge and experience on international shipping’s best practices, employment regulations and global seafaring standards.
This is not just to safeguard the good image of Senator Crewing Manila but also to protect and guarantee the employment of our seafarers and shore staff,” he shared.
“It has been 10 years since I took the leap into the wonderful world of crewing and there has never been a dull moment. I enjoy the interaction with our seafarers who have mostly become successful professionals at sea,” he said.
Outside of work, Garcia is known to be an athletic person who actively participates in local and international triathlons. The latest he joined was the famous Challenge Roth 2019 in Bavaria, Germany where he was one of five Filipinos who competed against the world’s best.
“Since the pandemic, I have had a less action-packed pastime so I spend my leisure hours reading biographies of modern business leaders and try to pick up ideas that I can apply at work. I also attend self-improvement webinars about best management practices,” he concluded.
